Book One of the Chosen of Shannara
by DracoStarbo
Summary: *CH 10 UP* Four average teenagers from our time our sent to Four Lands where they meet up with Par and Coll's childern and embark on a perilous journey that will place both their lives and their souls at mortal risk. Read and review please.
1. The Last Day of the Rest of Our Lives

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies. Lyrics to ' Shady's Back ' belong to Eminem a.k.a Marshal Mathers and affiliated companies.  
  
Ratings: Pg-13  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes: Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Chapter One: The Last Day of the Rest of Our Lives  
  
* * * *  
  
Memial waved with a lightly tan, mostly-sun burnt hand, a last goodbye to her father and turned to take in the first full look with her green eyes at the local prison, a.k.a. high school. The students hustled pass her like- water rolling over an embedded rock in the mud. Social cows being herded into small spaces of four walls and a cold, plastic seats . . . just to grow up and find themselves in an even smaller space and having a mid-live crisis. Oh the joys of education.  
  
//Okay, a new day, a new start! Remember, you may think this is prison, but they don't give death-penalties, so enjoy your remaining time and remember, good grades means good jobs!// she thought to herself as she flipped her brown waist-length hair back and followed the herd of fellow students.  
  
Inside the Gates of Hell, she takes a left to the small library that is just barely larger than a classroom. She waved to Mrs. Smith, the library and her friend, before scanning the room for people she knew. There, sitting at a computer with a look of half-fear, half annoyance, was one of her male friends, Ben. The look he had on him could be explained by the girl who sat next to him . . . just staring at him . . . .She looked ready to whip out a knife and go to town making a new form of tattoo art on his skin. But she just sat there, staring at him like he was the freak exhibit at Circus. Her blonde hair framed her pale face and her black clothing brought out the light blues of her eyes.  
  
"Hey, Ben!" Memial went over and stood on the opposite side of where the girl was. "What's up?"  
  
He pointed to the girl, said, "That girl is freaking me out!"  
  
"Yeah, I noticed," Memial chuckled.  
  
"I'm serious! She's been there for a half an hour now - I tried leaving, but she just followed me! Mrs. Smith tried to get her away, but she didn't even blink! Please, make her stop!" Ben said with a pleading tone to his voice, which Memial could later on say was on the borderline of begging.  
  
"But, Ben, someone likes you. You should be happy," Memial smirked.  
  
He became very serious. "This isn't funny."  
  
"Nor is your Hawaiian shirt," some random guy mumbled as he passed by.  
  
"Hey!" Ben shouted, but it was ignored.  
  
Memial took a seat next to the strange girl, who actually turned her head to meet Memial's eye level. "Hey, I'm Memial. Why are you staring at my friend? Are you memorized by that thing he calls a shirt?"  
  
"Hey! Is this Make Fun of Ben Day?" he whined.  
  
"No, that's on Tuesday," the same random guy called from halfway across the room.  
  
"That's it!" Ben stood up and stalked over to that guy and started to cuss him out until Mrs. Smith stopped him and threatened to throw him out of the library.  
  
"Yeah, anyway," Memial turned her attention back to the girl in front of her. "What's your name?"  
  
The girl just kept looking at Memial, as if she was going to repeat what she did with Ben. But Memial wasn't phased.  
  
"Fine, don't tell me your name," Memial shrugged. "School is boring, isn't it? Sometimes, I don't want to get up at all . . . All right, *most* of the time. You know, that's a cool shirt; I like the red pattern on it."  
  
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!  
  
//And the bell rings, time to go to our first cells and wait until we can have our few minutes in the training yard. Fun, fun, fun!// Memial thought despising, though her face didn't change that much. "I'll see you later."  
  
And Memial gets up and waves goodbye to Mrs. Smith, promising to be in there for lunch, humming a choppy tune underneath her breathe. The girl who she was talking to sit at the computer table for a while, just sitting, and then got up to go to her first class of the day. A thing about school is that most of the people will be asleep twenty minutes in.  
  
//And I'd be one of them, but I have a teacher to torture,// she thought darkly.  
  
Across the campus and in a small room with no windows, but a piano and stadium seating, she sat in a red plastic chair, thinking over how she could annoy Mr. Robb, her piano teacher. She could do the usual stare, but she'd found that he seems to be growing immunity to it. Maybe if she purposely hit all the wrong keys in the test today. Or maybe . . .  
  
"Two trail park girls go 'round the outside,  
  
'Round the outside . . ."  
  
A whisper from a nearby headphone set sends an idea to straight to her brain.  
  
//It's perfect.// she smirked evil-like.  
  
Mr. Robb came into the classroom shortly after and had everyone settle down.  
  
His first announcement, a test is to be taken! Everyone moaned, but he tells everyone that they had a week's notice, so no one could really complain. People still did, though. In his fifties and gray hair, Mr. Robb paid no heed and called up the first student.  
  
Amanda, the hyper-active, bright kid of the class was more than willing to play all the different keys they've learned so far and a musical piece of her choosing - something from Mozart - and got an A. Next up was Jason, who had forgotten to practice a song, so he played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and got a C. Rich and Jesus were the next two. They played the same song, made the same mistakes, and got the same grade - B.  
  
"Jez Richards," he called out.  
  
Jez walked down to the piano and sat down gracefully. //Play this note. What does this mean? How long is an eighth note?// The questions flew by with Jez answering them quickly, a little anxious to get to the rehearsed song. Finally, the last question was answered and she placed her hands onto the keys. At home, for fun and practice, she had done a few of her favorite songs, so the notes weren't the trouble, though she needed to play the beginning a few times to get use to the sound of a piano playing the song.  
  
"Obie Trice. Name No Gimmicks . . ." the boy with the headphones at the beginning of class mumbled, instantly recognizing that tune. The other kids started to get into the swing of it, too, and some sang the lyrics:  
  
"Two trailer park girls go round the outside,  
  
Round the outside, round the outside..  
  
Guess who's back, back again  
  
Shady's back, tell a friend  
  
Guess who's back, guess who's back,  
  
Guess who's back. Guess who's back . . .?  
  
Mr. Robb looked around a little baffled, but thought it must be a popular song and nothing more of it.  
  
"I created a monster, cuz nobody wants to  
  
See Marshall no more they want Shady  
  
I'm chopped liver  
  
Well if you want Shady, then this is what I'll give ya  
  
A little bit of me mixed with some hard liquor  
  
Some vodka that will jumpstart my heart quicker  
  
Then a shock when I get shocked at the hospital  
  
By the Dr. when I'm not cooperating  
  
When I'm rocking the table while he's operating "Hey"  
  
You waited this long to stop debating  
  
Cuz I'm back, I'm on the rag and ovulating  
  
I know you got a job Ms. Cheney  
  
But your husband's heart problem is complicated  
  
So the FCC won't let me be  
  
Or let me be me so let me see  
  
They tried to shut me down on MTV  
  
But it feels so empty without me  
  
So come on and dip, bum on your lips  
  
Jump back jiggle a hip and wiggle a bit  
  
And get ready cuz this is about to get heavy  
  
I just settled all my lawsuits, "Fuck you, Debbie!!"  
  
And it was then that Mr. Robb realized the meaning of this song, or at lest what the lyrics said. He yelled at everybody to stop singing and for Jez to stop playing, but they paid him no heed. A bunch of guys and some girls got up and started dancing to the music.  
  
"This looks like a job for me  
  
So everybody just follow me  
  
Cuz we need a little controversy  
  
Cuz it feels so empty without me.  
  
Now this looks like a job for me  
  
So everybody ju-"  
  
SLAM!! Jez barely got her fingers out of the way of the cover of the piano keys that Mr. Robb slammed down, with a death glare in his eyes.  
  
"I said, that - is - enough!" he hissed between clenched teeth. "Sit down, Ms. Richards."  
  
Jez got up and went back to her seat, knowing that he wanted her to act afraid, so the best thing to do was to not be - which was easy; she'd seen worse death glares before. The class around her was stunned into silence, but they couldn't help the small smirks spreading over their lips and the laughter lighting up their eyes.  
  
"Am I interrupting something?" a Nark ( a.k.a yard duddy) from the doorway asked. He stood next to a girl with black hair to her upper shoulders, thick and shiny, and black eyes matching her hair perfectly. She looked like a full-blooded Asian, probably was. She was wearing blue jeans, a fluffy pink sweeter and white tennis shoes.  
  
"No, not at all," Mr. Robb seemed perfectly calm. "Can I help you?"  
  
"She was lost, so I helped her out finding your class," the Nark gestured to the small girl beside him.  
  
"Are you a foreign exchange student?" Mr. Robb asked the girl.  
  
"Oh, no. My family's Vietnamese, though. My name's Deidre Ting. I tried to get into this class at the beginning of the school year, but my academic coordinator screwed up my schedule. I've basically had to start from scratch. Which totally sucks, the starting from scratch if you know what I mean. But it shouldn't be to hard cause I'm really good at the starting from scratch stuff - especially at cooking things with raw materials. I'm really good at that. My cooking teacher used to say that all the time, right until I blew her kitchen up but then-"  
  
"Take a seat," Mr. Robb ordered.  
  
Deidre sat at the end of the row of seats, feeling embarrassed about her babbling. She just liked to talk, was that a crime? For the rest of the period, Mr. Robb ranted and raved about inappropriate behavior. At first, the students where paying attention, feeling guilty for getting out of hand. Then, after the third time he repeated himself, they started to shut down their minds, one by one. No one was worth hearing a scorning from more than twice. The clock ticked away the seconds and finally that hellish sounding, buzzing bell rang and everyone filed out, talking idly about anything other than school.  
  
However, instead of leaving class with the rest of her peers, Deidre timidly walked up to Robb and asked, "Mr. Robb, um, what do I need to pass this class?"  
  
"You, a miracle."  
  
"Um, ok. Tha-?"  
  
"Seeing as you have joined this class so late, you will need a tutor." With a flip through his grade book and a growl that made Deidre take a cautious, step of self-survival backwards he snarled, "Ms. Richards (God have mercy on her soul) would be the best for the job. She's the crazy blonde chick that was playing that god forsaken devil song earlier. It shouldn't be too hard for you to find her. Just follow the trail of destruction and chaos." Mr. Robb than proceeds to hand Deidre some worksheets and information papers before sweeping out of the room leaving her standing there more than slightly confused . . . and scared. With a shake of her head, she stuffs the papers into her backpack and runs off to meet her good male friend Aiken.  
  
Walking through the library doors she spots Aiken sitting at a table with a brunette, a blonde and a pink eraser. The blonde, the brunette and even the pink eraser seemed to be glaring evilly at the slightly nervous sandy brown haired boy.  
  
"Deidre, save me!!!" Aiken winced at the undercurrent of undiluted terror in his voice.  
  
The brunette yells, before bursting into hysterical laughter, "No one can save YOU!!!"  
  
Deidre blinks. This day just seemed to be getting weirder and weirder.  
  
Aiken started to scoot his chair backwards, towards the protection of Deirdre's presence. "These guys," a pause and dramatic effected added to his voice, "Are CRAZY!"  
  
This comment only got the already laughing girl to laugh even harder, if that is possible. Deidre just stared confusingly and sat down. "Um, okay, what's happening here?"  
  
"Just the usual. You know, torture, causing of mental anguish, the installment of eternal fear into one's soul."  
  
"That's not nice!" Deidre couldn't help the burst of justice from her lips.  
  
"Oh, come on, we're just foolin' around," the brunette managed between fits of giggles. "Right?" Jez remained silent, causing the brunette to stop laughing. "Um? Right!?"  
  
Jez turned her upper body to face the girl sitting next to her, and with a look of scorn and sarcasm dripping from her eyes and just stared, causing Memial to stop and wonder whom the joke was really on . . . if there was a joke at all.  
  
Aiken, getting a brake from the two girls, had time to reflect on his recent life style. All he had done was transfer from one school to the next, a good idea for anyone who went to his old school, but it seemed there were some prices for his better education. For one, these two girls just happen to choose him out of the many, many others kids and decided to pick on him - most likely because he's the new kid. Another price was that there was an archery club and he had to pay to get in! Well, it wasn't so harsh as the insane girls . . . But then again, they were the first other than Deidre to speak to him. And Deidre was an old friend of his - so old, he cant even remember when they met.  
  
:: Aki gomaa enya corta . . . ::  
  
"What the?" Jez blurts out.  
  
Everyone in the library turns to stare at her.  
  
"She speaks!!" Yells Memial, Deidre, Aiken and even Ben from the other side of the room all at the same time.  
  
:: Enya corta vakoti los quto vato . . .::  
  
At this Jez jumped up, knocking her chair down in the process.  
  
"Um, Jez, honey, what's wrong? Are you ok? Do you need help? Cause if you do need help I'll try to help. I help my Uncle Bo a lot. I'm pretty good at helping. Uncle Bo says. . ."  
  
Suddenly all the lights in the room explode, sending glass shattering to the floor. Screams were heard through out the room and they were brutally ended with hard smacks to the floor and tables. Everyone was passing out around the four teenagers, but they, Aiken, Jez, Deidre, and Memial, were unarmed.  
  
Blindly reaching, Deidre finds another set of hands and latches on. As her fear mounts, her breath quickens until she is hyperventilating. The hands she clasped pulled her into a decidedly masculine chest and she felt a certain protection and comfort listening to this person's fast heartbeats and the raise and fall of his chest.  
  
"Look!" Memial pointed. "The doors!"  
  
A green mist seeped from under the closed library doors like a gas filtering its way into a person's lungs. Its coils traveled across the floor, illuminating the unconscious people sprawled on the floor and each other.  
  
"Okay, People, are you all seeing what I'm seeing or am I crazy?" Aiken voiced the depth of shock the rest of his companions felt.  
  
As the green fog thickened to the point that they couldn't see below their knees, Memial finds that her wit hasn't failed her. "Well, if you're seeing a bunch of knocked-out kids and some freaky green stuff, then yes, we are all crazy."  
  
Suddenly the mist starts to rise up, clinging to their jeans, table, and chairs like icy hands reaching from beyond the graveyard to drag the teenagers down with them. For the second time that day (second time that week, for that matter), Jez spoke.  
  
"Everyone, on top of the table! NOW!" she nearly screamed but had too much command in her voice to be over taken by the fear rising in herself and everyone else.  
  
The shock of Jez barking out an order got an unquestioned obedience from everyone. As one the group followed her sharp command.  
  
"Back to back, form a circle," Memial's voice was so high pitched it seemed like a scream.  
  
While everyone moved to obey, Aiken unconsciously thrust Deidre in the middle of the human triangle so she'd be protected by their bodies. The mist clawed higher and higher and higher, until it touched the ceiling by the walls, so thick it might as well have been the walls themselves. Strangely, the green wall stops at the round table, caging all four on it.  
  
::Oricaty vi sholum soquo velshime!::  
  
At these words the green wall starts to spin at an alarming speed with everything turning with it, a huge tornado. A warm wind plays with their hair clothes, a friend's touch in this very strange scene. In unspoken agreement, Aiken, Memial and Jez step backwards and tighten the gap so they were touching Deidre. The green wall is closing in on them now, the four peered deeply into it, trying to see past it, and noticed horrible demonic faces, laughing and dancing with some hidden, evil joy.  
  
"Oh, Lord! Oh, Shit! Oh, God!" Deidre screamed out from the top of her lungs.  
  
The spinning wall was only an inch away from their faces and getting closer by the second  
  
"Everyone," yelled Aiken, "Take a deep breath!"  
  
And with that the mist was grabbing them with a chocking hold. At its touch a deep, cold soaked into their bones as if Death's Grip where upon them. The eye of the tornado disappeared. They were completely overtaken and surrounded by the green mist. Deidre started screaming at the top of her lungs and Memial wished she had her voice to scream along, while Aiken and Jez watched on and were still controlling their feelings enough, as the mist lifted them off of the table!  
  
::Velshima!::  
  
::Velshima!::  
  
::Velshima!::  
  
Then they were all screaming as pain exploded in their heads, racing along the brain like a herd of young children - screaming - running - pounding - a consent barraging pulse on their minds! It was like having your head stuck between two speakers that played Heavy Metal, on full blast. It was a dizziness feeling and the need to throw up, but nothing comes. The pain increased so much, becoming a nation of children that one by one they fell into the blackness of unconscious . . . 


	2. Awake, Druid Walker

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Ratings: Pg-13  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes: Cliffhangers. . . so fun. :: Insert evil grins of maliciousness :: Don't worry; the next chapter is going to be really super long and involved. Lots of action and even a battle scene.  
  
Dragon Starbo wishes to inform you that the popcorn people will be attacking next Tuesday at 2:40 am.  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Fallen Iceangel: We love EMINEM too!!!!!!! He's soo fine, and cute and such a good singer and and and and . . . yeah. You know how it is. Good idea. We shall contemplate it, and if we do decide to do it, lets just say 'Clean'in Out My Closet' will definitely be used. ^_^ Thank you lots for the review. It was much appreciated.  
  
Chapter Two: Awake, Druid Walker  
  
* * * *  
  
It was a warm, peaceful day. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and the youth of Shannara were no doubted-ly taking advantaged of this great day by skipping out on their chores to fish, swim, play, and all the other things kids found entertaining in this day and age. The sun hung high in the sky, a golden glass ball, and the wind blew lightly, a tranquil song of sweet life.  
  
But then, in the mist of the peaceful, dream-like day, a small tremble came from beyond time. This wasn't an earthquake, knew who could feel the magickal tremors. No, only those who have studied the ways of magick or were born with it would feel this strange rumble. It grew into a steady beat as if a drum were playing just out of site. And with a great BANG, the shudders stopped, the after shock leaving the magickal people of Shannara shaken and scared.  
  
Walker Boh awoke with a start!  
  
//Dark Power! // Was all he could think of as he realized what had just happened. He had been sleeping in the Druid's Keep, Paranor, by means of magic. The Druid Sleep would only be broken when he was ready or something very powerful broke it.  
  
Who could have done such a thing? Rimmer Dall had been destroyed years ago; his stolen power no longer a threat to the Four Lands. Walker recalled the retched time that he and as his cousin and nephews had to go threw to defeat Rimmer Dall. His cousin, Wren, had lost her best friend, got fooled by someone pretending to be her friend in her time of need, and had to leave her life in the Westlands to become the queen of the Elves. And Coll Ohmsford, his nephew, had been captured and taken prisoner by Rimmer Dall to persuade him that his brother, Par, was evil. Par had probably suffered the most by going insane, but who wouldn't go insane after all he went through? He thought he had killed his brother, he believed his magic was evil, and he was Shadowen, the very thing he had sworn to defeat. However, he was brought back to reality with the help of the Sword of Shannara, Coll, and Damson, now his wife.  
  
Of course, Walker had his share of sorrowful times. He didn't want anything to do with the Druids, but then he was given a quest to restore the lost Paranor and had to do it after Par nearly lost his life from Walker's selfishness. If he hadn't been so rapped up in his own problems, he would have kept an eye on his nephew. Even to this day he regrets having to save Par from the Werebeasts and caring him all the way to Storlock from Wilderun.  
  
//And if it weren't for Par,// Walker concluded, //I'd still be in the Wilderun, staying out of the business of the Races.//  
  
But, now that he was a druid, he couldn't do that. It's part of his responsibility for having all of his knowledge and power. However, one more piece of knowledge enters his mind: No body likes the druids, the ones that believe that they're more than a myth. Ever sense Druid Allanon had died more than three hundred years ago, people haven't taken the word druid seriously. So, where does that leave Walker Boh, the First Druid of the New Order?  
  
Sleeping, that's where. He needed to go to a time where he is needed and people will give him a second chance. With the Druid Sleep, he can sleep for hundreds of years and awaken when some other evil will try to destroy the Four Lands.  
  
But something just shaken him out of his sleep - something very powerful. Concentrating, Walker used one of the simpler tricks he had learned while studying in the Keep for the first time. It was a way of spreading out your being and feeling others around you. If you knew what to look for or who to feel, it was really easy. Walker wasn't really looking for the thing that awoke him. He was looking for a group of people . . .  
  
In Varfleet, the Ohmsford brothers, his cousins, were moving about the Blue Whisker Ale House, making sure all of the customers had their drinks and food, while Coll's wife was in the kitchen, yelling at the cooks at how horrible their food was and Damson was dancing as the entertainment. Life was as usual there, probably too busy to leave the magic that just rattled the lands. But where are the boys?  
  
With a little bit more of a stretch, Walker found the boys at the Rainbow River, fishing in a boat. Typical boys. All three of them were in a heated argument about some girl in Varfleet who looked at them. Typical - teenage - boys . . . but then something else caught Walker's attention. That magic . . . it was close to the boys! Not only that, but he felt the evil radiate off it like heat from a flame.  
  
Walker jumped from his bed, ignoring the dizziness and his own weakness. He raced down the stairs and hallways, mentally calling upon his horse, Tempo. He was a gift from Par and Coll when Walker left, but when Walker had sent Tempo back to Varfleet, Tempo stayed and grazed in the fields beyond the forest that surrounded Paranor. Walker was glad of it now.  
  
Midnight black, Tempo stood like a dark beacon against the bright day. Walker ran up to him, jumped up and grabbed hold of his main, for long ago he took off the horse's saddle and all the other things that restrained the animal.  
  
"To the Rainbow River!" Walker hissed and kicked Tempo into motion.  
  
Tempo, intoned to his master's feelings, raced off down the fastest and only way he knew to get to Rainbow River. Threw the Dragon Teeth mountains by way of Kennon Pass, the two flew like a shadow, dark and too quick for anyone to gather a clear picture of either one. The sun dipped into the west, and Tempo raced beside it, knowing he could go on for hours at this pace if he so desired. He was, after all, the finest bred and fastest horse in the Four Lands.  
  
The night was cooler than the day, but not cool enough to keep children inside. They played and raced along the given paths and near the Mermidon River around Triss, without a care as Walker and Tempo flew on past. Some stopped and watched the black mass disappear out of sight, but for the most part, no one knew he was racing along the path.  
  
The moon had long sense raised to its watchful position in the night sky with all its glowing solders scattered around. Walker prayed that they watched over his three young cousins, to let no harm come to them, as he was carried eastward by Tempo threw the flat lands of Callahorn. Hours on end of riding had finally paid off. Only a few for miles and -  
  
"What was that?!" Walker reared the horse, which screamed in protest. "Quiet! I feel something . . . It seems the evil has moved . . . Shades! Par! Coll!"  
  
The horse rolled his eyes. Great, now they were off to save those two! Par and Coll, the ones who gave him over to Walker, had no idea that he was the best horse in the lands. Humans can be so thick headed sometimes. With urging from Walker's boots, Tempo ran off to Varfleet, understanding Walker's feelings, at least.  
  
Two to three hours later - the two had nearly forgot time - Tempo and Walker were slowing down to the traffic of Varfleet. Even this late, horses and carriages and humans filled the streets. Seems like everyone was taking advantage of the summer nights. In a hiss of frustration, Walker climbed down, telling Tempo to meet him at the Blue Whisker and raced down the side alleys barely big enough to hold himself, let alone Tempo.  
  
Over a few walls, on top of many rooftops, and thru countless alleys, Walker finally arrived his destination. He breathed heavily, calming himself to be prepared for whatever laid within the empty alehouse. If there was one thing he prided himself on - no matter what was happening - was his cool, calm, and collect attitude that made him seem distant and very powerful.  
  
Walker walked up the stairs and pushed the broken and half burnt door out of the way, and found . . . 


	3. Potatoes, Asparagus and Che dau xanh

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Ratings: Pg-13  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes: ~Important information to remember when reading this chapter!~ : Quan Am is a Vietnamese Goddess and Che dau xanh is a favorite Vietnamese desert of Deidre's.  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Fallen Iceangel: We know you like Eminem, so as a special treat *just for you* there'll be another song by him in the next chapter. That's all we can say, though. ^_^ It's going to be goooooood!  
  
Chapter Three: Potatoes, Asparagus and Che dau xanh  
  
* * * *  
  
"Last one in is a rotten egg!" yelled Brinn Ohmsford to his cousins Lukc and Gok Ohmsford. Pulling off his shirt Brinn jumped off the boat in the sparkling blue waters of Rainbow River. In the cool depths, he swam down as far as possible, using his sport-built arms and legs, until his lungs begged for air. He swam up to the top and flipped his chestnut hair out of his face; the clear water caught the sun's raise and made a sparkling spray of colors that gave this lake its name.  
  
"Brinn, you're going to scare away all the fish!" Brinn heard his cousin, Lukc, snap. To this, Brinn paid no heed and circled to the other side of the boat.  
  
The anger in Lukc's voice was mostly forced. The day was so beautiful, even he couldn't easily get upset with his cousin's antics. In many ways, Brinn was like Jair Ohmsford, the brother of their ancestor that his cousin was named after. Jair was reckless, careless, and always looking for a good time, while his sister, Brinn, was much more mature. Of course, his cousin's name was spelled with two ns, because Uncle Coll thought it would be an insult to take her name.  
  
//Or at least that's how the stories go,// Lukc mused, realizing how much everything seemed like a story to him. It could've been from all of the stories he told of his accentors and their adventures - from Shea to his own father and uncle, Par and Coll - as a way of caring on the family tradition.  
  
Par and Coll had been telling the stories of the Shannara children for about two months in Varfleet; the first two of the Ohmsfords to leave the Shady Vale in a hundred years because of the Federation, which exclaimed that magic was forbidden. But then inn that they were working at burned down and they had to go on an quest given to them by Druid Allanon. They did return to Varfleet to find out that the inn was almost rebuilt, even better than before. However, the inn keeper of the time didn't really like it, saying that you can't go back. So Par and Coll worked for him to finish up the repairs and bought the inn from the keeper for a low price. From then on, the Ohmsfords have owned the new Blue Whisker Ale House, named in memory of the old one.  
  
Lukc remembered the story of how his parents met and became husband and wife. Damson Rhee, a princess of a lost race, now Damson Ohmsford, his mother. She now help run the inn and a waitress, able to handle any drunkard who wants to see her in bed. Brinn helped remove the drunks when they got violent, taking after his father and mother's built. Brinn's mother, Lukc's aunt, was from Kern and came to Varfleet to make it out on her own. She met Coll while working for them at the Ale House and soon the two fell in love and had Brinn and Gok, Lukc's cousins. As the way it goes, it was Brinn who came first, then Lukc, and finally Gok. They all lived as one, big family in the second floor of the inn and sang the songs of Shannara to the travelers to keep the stories alive. Well, more like Lukc did. He was the one with the Wishsong of Dreams, the ability to make people see things in their minds that aren't really there.  
  
With a sigh and a lazy turn of the head Lukc gazed over at his brother Gok who was sitting calmly, a fishing pole in one hand a leather bound book in the other. The only movement noticeable were his blue eyes, which were scanning rapidly back and forth, absorbing the story like dried dirt soaking up the seasons first rain.  
  
"How is it, that no matter how hard this boat is shaking, the book in your hand never moves?"  
  
Lifting his head up, Gok turned piercing blue eyes to his brother and smirked, "Talent."  
  
"Why you little-"  
  
Whatever he was about to say would never be finished, for at that very moment the slightly tanned and wet hand of one Brinn Ohmsford grabbed his shoulders and yanked him backwards, into the water. A huge splash soaked the boat and the waves rocked it harshly. The book was left completely dry, never moving from it's steady position. The smirk on Gok's face never wavered as he snuggled cozily into the boat, alone at last with his precious novel.  
  
Laughter rang in the background as Lukc and Brinn splashed each other, care free and joyful as only the innocent can be.  
  
It started off like a gnat buzzing near by, barely noticeable at first. But within seconds the noise had increased to a steady beat, growing louder and louder by the second.  
  
Brinn and Lukc stopped their splashing and just waded in the water quietly, searching for the source of the sound, all of their senses on full alert. Gok lifted his head from the book and was staring intently at the shore his head cocked quizzically. With Gok to balance the boat, Brinn got in and then helped Lukc, for they all felt that being in the water at that moment was a bad idea.  
  
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.  
  
The beat was so deep they could feel it in their bones, their blood and heart were pulsing to it's rhythm. No words need the two cousins crawled back into the boat, dripping wet. The three Ohmsfords sat there like that, trying to figure out what was going on when Gok noticed something odd.  
  
"Look, the animals don't seem to notice the drum noises at all."  
  
And indeed, it did appear that no animal could hear the noise. The birds were still flying and chirping, the occasional fish could be seen swimming bye, and the deer drinking with her children on the shore was relaxed, ears laid back on her head at ease.  
  
"It's getting louder. And faster." Whispered Brinn, feeling slightly blasphemous for speaking.  
  
Louder and louder and quicker and quicker until one beat bled into the next and their hearts felt as if they might burst. Each boy was gasping to force air into deflated lungs, goose bumps prickle their skin. The beats got so intense that they bordered painful.  
  
Then it stopped and their was silence.  
  
The air still prickled their arms though.  
  
"Um," Lukc said, dread feeling his heart. "We need to get to shore, now!"  
  
As one he and Gok grabbed the oars and started towards the coast line while Brinn packed all their belongings together. Five minutes passed and they had reached the shore. Breathing harshly, not even bother to do more than beach the boat in shallow water, forgetting completely about their belongings, Brinn, Gok and Lukc jumped out of the wooden boat and started running back home. The swirling invisible wind that touched nothing but their arms and their insides growing stronger by the second. Not noticing until the last second, they barely managed from running into a group of four oddly dressed foreigners, about their age.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Oh," whispered a softly pitched voice, "My head."  
  
That was the first thing Aiken heard regaining consciousness.  
  
Strangely, his first thoughts were of Deidre's well being. "Deidre, are you ok?"  
  
Hearing no response he opened his eyes to see a great blue sky. Forcing himself to sit up, he turned around and saw a fear full sight. Deidre was laying unconscious on the green ground, her skin pale and her lips an unnatural blue.  
  
"Deidre!" he cried. Struggling up into a sitting position another wave of dizziness hit him and he fell back down, dizzy.  
  
"Don't worry, she's alive and her heartbeat is steady," Jez's voice washed over his ears like water, cool and soothing.  
  
A sudden scream rips through the air. "Fear the potatoes!"  
  
Memial has jumped up and is looking at the surroundings frantically, gasping for air, her coffee colored hair flying everywhere. "Potatoes. . . attacking. . . potatoes. . . . . . where are the potatoes?!"  
  
Placing his hand on the grass for support, Aiken pushes himself upwards, into a standing position, the dizziness slowly spinning away. "Attacking the mushroom people. Don't worry, the mushroom people are allied with the asparagus. There's no way the potatoes will win."  
  
"Oh, thank goodness, for a moment there I thought . . . heyyyyy!!" Memial exclaims when it dawns on her that Aiken might have been being sarcastic. Maybe.  
  
Memial gasped when she finally noticed Deidre laying there on the ground while Aiken held her hand, worry etching new lines on his face.  
  
"Deidre?"  
  
[i] "Quan am, that's the last time I have a Che dau xanh before dinner," Deidre mumbled.  
  
The Vietnamese which she mixed into her English sounded like a child's gibberish, leaving everyone feeling confused. Was Deidre ok in the head?  
  
Slowly her eyes opened and focused on a group of boys standing behind her companions, looking slightly startled.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked.  
  
The swirling energies in the air exploded in a roar knocking everyone standing to the ground. Aiken threw himself over Deidre, Memial fell to the ground with a startled curse. Brinn, Lukc and Gok fell on their asses with shocked looks on their faces. Jez landed on her knees, no words escaped her lips.  
  
Powerful winds ripped through the air, while black clouds raced across the blue sky, covering up the sun and setting a circle of midnight above their heads four miles in diameter. In the distance the blue sky and sunlight could still be seen, like the mirage of an oasis in the middle of the desert.  
  
Out of the clouds horrible creatures of green descended to the earth like fallen angels. They were nine feet of height, looking down upon the humans with bead-like, black eyes that shined with a cold red-blood tint. Their bodies, all alike, seemed to be strung together with sticks and yarn and muscles patted thinly on top. On the closest one, a slit for a mouth, opened to show a gruesome set of crookedly sharp teeth and two holds where the nose was suppose to be flared from pin point to nail-head size.  
  
"Hey, aren't those the same creatures that were with that green fog?" Deidre asked, still groggy with sleep and a headache to match.  
  
Aiken tried to move his hands to block her view, but he was so over come with shock and fear, that his body didn't respond other than to squeeze the words out, "Oh, shit."  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __  
  
[ii] Quan am is properly pronounced Wang am. Che dau xanh is properly pronounced dey-EH Dow-U san  
  
Keep in mind that Vietnamese is a very hard language to speak unless you've been doing it sense you're little - I think, anyway. The friend, who Deidre is based upon, tried to help me understand it, but after twenty minutes of yelling and wishing to bang my head on the desk, we came to what you see above. There's accents - a lot - in Vietnamese, so to simplify it, the capital letters you say a little higher pitched than the others. I'm keeping it at that! -----------------------  
Special thanks to our reviewer's:  
  
Fallen IceAngel : 


	4. The Sun Shined On

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
The lyrics 'Soldier' are owned and copyrighted to other people that are involved with Eminem. We are not those people. We do not know those people. The song and lyrics of 'Soldier' in no way belong to us and in no way are we claiming any hold on them. The lyrics 'All in the Family' are owned and copyrighted to other people that are involved with Korn. We are not those people. We do not know those people. The song and lyrics of 'All in the Family' are in no way belong to us and in no way are we claiming any hold on them. Thank you. And please, we are but poor high school students with welfare cards for free food, we are not worth the money you'll pay to your attorney. Suing us is therefore a waist of time. Ratings: Pg-13  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Fallen IceAngel:  
  
There, you got your next Eminem song. Happy? It was hard to find a battle song from the Eminem lyrics but, we did it. If we knew why you where the only one reviewing, we'd ratify the problem. But we don't. Our fic isn't that bad, is it? ::cries tears of sorrow and loneliness.:: and you think * you're * lonely!?!?! How do you think we feel!?!?! LoL Well, thank for at least being our one, loyal reviewer. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Bye tell next Wednesday!  
  
Chapter Four: The Sun Shined On  
  
* * * *  
  
:: I'm a soldier  
  
I'm a soldier  
  
I'm a soldier  
  
I'm a soldier ::  
  
"Shadowen!" exclaimed Lukc, his face etched in fear.  
  
Slowly, Jez shakes her head back in forth. "No, Vo'galth."  
  
With a tight and panicked voice Brinn commands, "Species later, survival, NOW!"  
  
The command in Brinn's voice snaps Aiken out of his shock.  
  
Scooping Deidre up until he was standing with her cradled in his arms, he quickly took in their surroundings and possible objects to be used as weapons. A short distance away he spotted a used campsite, with a pile of wood.  
  
Speaking in a whisper he informed everyone of the campsite to their left.  
  
"I guess our only chance is pretty obvious, huh?" said Memial. "On the count of three, we run to the campsite, pick up the wood and prepare to beat the shit out of these overgrown pixi sticks. One. . . two. . ."  
  
An exceptionally disgusting looking Vo'galth dropped its ears flat against his head and hissed, flapped his wings twice and rose 15 feet in the air. The green glow around it grew brighter and with a screech the thing flew down towards the group of humans, his companions right behind.  
  
As one, the seven frightened teenagers turned and ran towards the campsite that lay not even 20 yards away. "Three!" screamed Gok as they ran.  
  
Looking up at the creatures chasing him, Brinn noticed one of them was about to latch its claws into the strange brown haired girl. With a burst of speed and mighty yell, he jumped and tackled it just before it could claim its mark.  
  
"Brinn!" screamed Gok who had been running a few feet ahead of him. His attempt to turn around and help his cousin was halted by a pale hand grabbing his arm and dragging him with the rest of the group towards the campsite. The blonde girl who had been strangely silent the whole time was pulling him along with a surprising strength.  
  
They were at the campsite, faster than Gok would have thought possible.  
  
"Oh Goddess," whispered Deidre, "we are so fucked."  
  
Instead of responding Aiken thrust her into Gok's hands.  
  
"Don't worry, your companion's going to be fine. Just watch this girl for me, please."  
  
:: Yo... Never was a thug, just infatuated with guns, Never was a gangsta, till I graduated to one  
  
And got the rep of a villain, for weapon concealin'. Took the image of a thug, kept shit appealin'  
  
Willin' to stick out my neck, for respect if it meant life or death, never live to regret what  
  
I said when you're me, people just want to see, if its true, if its you, what you say in your rap's, what you do  
  
So they feel, as part of your obligation to fulfill, when they see you on the streets, face to face, are you for real  
  
In confrontation ain't no conversation, if you feel you're in violation, any hesitation'll get you killed  
  
If you feel it, kill it, if you conceal it, reveal it. Being reasonable will leave you full of bullets, pull it, squeeze it  
  
Till its empty, tempt me, push me, pussies, I need a good reason to give this trigger a good squeeze... ::  
  
Then he followed everyone's example and grabbed a stick of firewood. Turning around to face the enemy he raised his stick and screamed a barbaric roar. Then the Vo'galth were upon them and thoughts were gone, replaced by primitive instincts so old none of the teenagers could, when later pressed, even begin to explain them beyond one word, "survive."  
  
Lukc was laughing, a high pitched sound, insane and fearless.  
  
Aiken swung blindly, his stick making contact with the occasional green limb, but the enemy was crowding around him, and getting bolder. More than once, a talon had made it threw his defense and graced him with a painful scratch. He could tell that they were only playing with him, like a group of alley cats crowded around a defenseless mouse. Then there was a warm body pressed against his back and another set of hands to help fight back. It was the one who had saved Memial: Brinn.  
  
"Having fun?" the guy panted to Aiken, even as he batted away another swat.  
  
"Sure, loads, you?"  
  
"Yeah, this reminds me of the old days when me and the men would go out and fish, except this time, I'm the fish."  
  
The friendly batter stopped after that as they two focused solely on kicking ass.  
  
* * * *  
  
Another claw reached out and streaked its nails across Memial's stomach even as she tapped it smartly on the head. "Oww!" she cried out in pain. "You son-of-a-bitch!"  
  
With new determination she went at beating the life out of the thing in front of her. With each scrape she acquired and each hit she landed on the monster her anger grew until she could feel it in her bones, swirling around and twisting in odd ways, almost as if there was something inside of her, something alive and just aching to break free.  
  
So focused she was on the monster in front of her, it was too late when she finally noticed the one behind. The one who grabbed the back of her shirt and took to flight. Screaming, she tried to twist around and smack the thing with her stick, only to notice her weapon had fallen out of her hands when she had been lifted into the air.  
  
Slowly but surely the ground was falling farther away, she must have been at least 100 feet up by now. It was flying faster, gaining more speed by the moment, taking her farther and farther away from her companions. Fear started to rear its ugly head, but she forced it back down, determined to survive or at least make the pixi stick monster suffer. Twisting and turning, she hit, kicked and even bit whatever skin was available. One vicious stab from her foot landed on its abdomen and with a yowl of pain it released her, 100 feet above the sparkling waters of Rainbow Lake.  
  
:: I'm a soldier, these shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never slip or stumble  
  
I'm a soldier, These shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never stumble ::  
  
Her soul screamed in anger, outraged that she was to die like this, in a strange land far away from those she loved. The anger, the strange anger she had never felt before, grew and grew until her eyesight slowly disappeared, replaced by an inky blue color. Her bones seemed to explode and implode at the same time, her skin seemed to seer off her body and reform around herself all at once. And during the few moments when her skin felt missing the thing inside of her escaped with a roar and something inside of her, a sense not taught about at school, felt it soar upwards, and then when her skin reformed, she could feel it slam back in and join her skin, become a part of her.  
  
* * * *  
  
Gok let out a hideous scream as one of the insanely tall creatures slashed its razor sharp calls into his chest. He fell to the ground with a thud, already feeling the blood flow down and stain his shirt to a deep red. As the monster came forth, Gok let out a crying sound that soon found itself as a note.  
  
A single note, drifting threw the air on a high-strung voice. A moor cat, tall as Gok and twice as long, appeared by the frighten teenager's side. Its black fur and yellow eyes seemed to glow in the darkness brought from the creatures. With a deep throat growl, the moor cat placed itself in front of Gok, ready to pounce on anyone who dare harm him.  
  
The creature took a step back, not afraid but cautious, and noticed something. There was no shadow on the moor cat. With a twisted grin, the creature made a looping sound and spun its arms widely before pouncing on the cat. The moor cat disappeared when Gok gasped, his song ended.  
  
The creature clawed at the ground playfully, knowing that there was nothing there. When a mini hole was made, the thing looked over at Gok, grinned evil and stuck out its tongue.  
  
"Wha-?" Gok couldn't help but ask.  
  
As this happened, a lone girl sat a few yards apart from the battle, gathering her wits. Deidre had been in a dream state; she didn't even remember being put down by Gok. For a while, all she did was watch the battle in mute fascination as if the whole thing was on a movie screen. But when she saw Gok get smacked to the ground, daydreaming was over for her.  
  
"Back off!" a high-pitch scream ripped out of the lungs of Deidre as she charged full speed with a log in her hand.  
  
SMACK! And a snapping noise to follow, she saw the green thing fly back in slow motion. The vibration ran along her arms and shoulders, but she held onto the thick piece of wood. Breathing heavily, Deidre looked in astonishment as the creature didn't stir . . . didn't even breath. . . .  
  
"Whoa . . ." she whispered. "I did that?"  
  
:: I love pissin' you off, it gets me off, like my lawyers, when the fuckin' judge lets me off  
  
all you motherfuckas gotta do is set me off, I'll violate and all the motherfuckin' bets be off  
  
I'm a lit fuse, anything I do bring it's news, pistol whippin' motherfuckin' bouncers, six-two, who needs bullets?  
  
Soon as I pull it, you sweat bullets, an excellent method to get rid of the next bully  
  
It's actually better cause instead you murderin', you can hurt em' and come back again and kick dirt at em  
  
it's like pourin' salt in the wounds, assault and get sued, you can smell the lawsuits soon as I waltz in the room  
  
everybody halts and stops, calls the cops, all you see is bitches comin' out their halter tops  
  
runnin' and duckin' out to the Hot Rocks parking lot, you'll all get shot whether its your fault or not, cus... ::  
  
Gok looked up at her in as much shock as Deidre had. The pain in his chest was momentarily forgotten as he looked at Deidre as if seeing her for the first time. This girl seemed almost absent-minded and then all of a sudden she hit the creature into the next life! This day was getting weirder and weirder.  
  
The creature sprang up into a standing position, his body extended to its full nine feet of height. Hissing dangerously, its onyx eyes folded into slits as it glared at the puny girl and her wooden log. Spreading it's wings, it started to slowly circle her, wary and angered.  
  
The site of the stupid walking glow stick that had hurt the strange boy sent a tidal wave of anger coursing through her body. Deidre saw red. With another scream of rage she charged the creature with her stick. The next thing she remembered was being pulled of the monsters body by the strange boy, blood coating the stick and her.  
  
"Stop! Stop! It's ok. Everything's going to be ok. You killed it. It's dead. You can stop now. . ." The boy was whispering quiet words of comfort in Deidre's ear as he pulled her a good 15 feet away from the slaughtered Vo'galth.  
  
She had gone into a slight state of shock, not being able to control the shaking that racked her body. "I. . . I . . ." she stuttered as she stared at the blood painted on her hands.  
  
:: I'm a soldier, these shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never slip or stumble  
  
I'm a soldier, These shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never stumble ::  
  
A screech interrupted her stuttering as two more of the monsters swept down upon them. After that all they could do was fight and try to stay back to back, to try to help the other stay alive, their sticks swinging full force.  
  
* * * *  
  
:: Fred: What's up with this fucking 'Ball Tongue' shit?  
  
Jon: All I needed was a Pepsi...  
  
Fred: You better shut the fuck up, punk.  
  
Jon: Whatever nigga...  
  
Fred: Say what, say what?  
  
Jon: My dick is bigger than yours...  
  
Fred: Say what, say what?  
  
Jon: My band is bigger than yours...::  
  
Jez watched on as everyone fought with the Vo'galth, a few fighting between himself and herself about who would capture the teenagers. For some reason, they were all busy with the others and didn't even notice Jez just standing off to the side.  
  
// Yes, my Vo'galth. Bring them to me. //  
  
A voice in the back of Jez's head hissed in delighted evil. She recognized that voice to the same one that had said the weird language that brought them to wherever they were. No one else seemed to hear the voice, and Jez knew that it wasn't one of her usual voices, so she wasn't being crazy again.  
  
// Your Vo'galth? // Jez thought with curiosity. She could feel the silent surprise of the voice, making her give a mental smirk before purring her next question. // Well, well, well. What have I here? Or should I say, whom?//  
  
The evil voice was silent for a few moments, then gave and devilish laugh and said, //Wouldn't you like to know?//  
  
:: Fred: Too bad I got your beans in my bag, stuck-up sucka', Korny motherfucka'. Takin' over flows is the Limp pimp, need a Bizkit to save this crew from Jon Davis. I'm gonna drop a little east side skill, ya best step back 'cuz I'm 'a kill, I'm 'a kill. So watcha thinking Mr. Raggedy man? Doin' all you can to look like Raggedy Ann.  
  
Jon: I'll Check you out punk, yes I know you feel it. You look like one of those dancers from the Hanson video, you little faggot ho. Please give me some shit to work with, 'cuz right now I'm all it kid, suck my dick kid, like your daddy did.  
  
Fred: Who the fuck you think you're talking to??  
  
Jon: Me.  
  
Fred: I'm known for eatin' little whiny chumps like you.  
  
Jon: Whatever.  
  
Fred: All up in my face with that...  
  
Jon: Are you ready?!? ::  
  
//Nah that's ok, why don't I just call you. . . Frank.//  
  
//Frank?! Frank?!?! FRANK?!?!?!?! DO I sound like a FRANK to you?!?!?!//  
  
//Yes.//  
  
//Bitch.//  
  
//Yeah, but not your bitch.//  
  
//You'll be my bitch if I tell you to be my bitch. Now, Bitch, what is your name?//  
  
//You can just call me 'Mistress', or 'God' if you prefere. I'm used to both.//  
  
//Bitch.//  
  
//Yeah, I know. So, Frank, tell me, what did you mean by ' My Vo'galth' ?//  
  
:: Fred: But halitosis, is all you're rockin' steady. You little fairy, smelling all your flowers. Nappy hairy chest, look it's Austin Powers!  
  
Jon: Yeah, baby!  
  
Fred: I hear ya tweetin' on them fag-pipes clod, but you said it best, there's No Place To Hide.  
  
Jon: What the fuck ya' sayin'? You're a pimp whateva', limp dick. Fred Durst needs to rehearse, needs to reverse what he's saying. Wannabe funk joke is what you're playin', rippin' up a bad counterfeit, fakin'! Plus your bills I'm paying, you can't eat that shit every day, Fred.  
  
Fred: Say what, say what? You better watch your fuckin' mouth, Jon.  
  
Jon: So you hate me?  
  
Fred: and I hate you!  
  
Jon: You know what, you know what?  
  
Both: It's all in the family.  
  
Jon: I hate you!  
  
Fred: and you hate me!  
  
Jon: You know what, you know what?  
  
Both: It's all in the family. ::  
  
//Bitch, don't question your Master. And my name is not FRANK!!!! I meant my Vo'galth, as in they're mine, they belong to me, I am their Master, they're my slaves, I am their God, they're my worshipers, I am. . .//  
  
//Mentally challenged?//  
  
//Damnit bitch. If you don't stop acting so impudent I'm going to send one of my Vo'galth to smote you.//  
  
//You sent twenty of your Vo'galth to smote us, so far, their failing. Miserably. One of them's currently getting it's ass kicked by a 4 foot 9 inch Vietnamese girl.//  
  
//Nonsense! My Vo'galth are unstop. . .able. Damn, that girl is kicking ass.//  
  
//Told you.//  
  
//You are not aloud to tell me anything! I am your MASTER!!!//  
  
//Mentally challenged mortal with a inferiority complex and suffering from extreme paranoia.//  
  
:: Jon: Look at you fool, I'm gonna fuck you up twice, throwin' rhymes at me like, oh shit, Vanilla Ice. Ya better run, run while ya can, you'll never fuck me up, Bisc Limpkit. At least I got a phat, original band.  
  
Fred: Who's hot, who's not?  
  
Jon: You.  
  
Fred: You best step back, Korn on the cob, you need a new job. Time to take them mic skills back to the dentist, and buy yourself a new grill.  
  
Jon: Fuck you.  
  
Fred: You pumpkin pie, I'll jack-off in your eye. Climbing shoots and ladders, while your ego shatters. But you just can't get away.  
  
Jon: Get a gay?  
  
Fred: 'Cuz it's doomsday kid, it's doomsday.  
  
Fred: You call yourself a singer?  
  
Jon: Yep.  
  
Fred: You're more like Jerry Springer.  
  
Jon: Oh cool!  
  
Fred: Your favorite band is winger,  
  
Jon: Winger?  
  
Fred: and all you eat is Zingers. You're like a Fruity Pebble, your favorite flag is rebel.  
  
Jon: Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!! ::  
  
//Smote her!!! Damn you minions!! Smote this impertinent slave!//  
  
Slowly, Jez's eyes focused on the outside world, her awareness coming back in a rush. There, not more than 3 yards away from her were 10 of the creatures who had brought them here.  
  
:: Fred: It's just too bad that you're a fag, and on a lower level.  
  
Jon: So you're from Jacksonville, kickin' it like Buffalo Bill. Gettin' butt-fucked by your uncle Chuck, while your sister's on her knees waitin' for your fuckin' nut.  
  
Fred: Wait, where'd ya get that little dance?  
  
Jon: Over here.  
  
Fred: Like them idiots in Waco, you're burning up in Bako where your father had your mother, your mother had your brother, it's just too bad your father's mad, your mother's now your lover.  
  
Jon: Come on hillbilly, can your horse do a fuckin' wheelie? You love it down south, and boy, you sure do got a purdy mouth.  
  
Jon: and I love you!  
  
Fred: and I want you!  
  
Jon: and I'll suck you!  
  
Fred: and I'll fuck you!  
  
Jon: and I'll butt-fuck you!  
  
Fred: and I'll eat you!  
  
Jon: and I'll lick your little dick, motherfucka'.  
  
Fred: Say what? Say... what? ::  
  
//Them?// she laughed with genuine humor. // You're sending them to smote me?! Is that all you've got?//  
  
And then there were charging at here, screeching loud enough to rock the trees. Nine feet. . . six feet. . . four feet. . . three feet. . . two feet. . . they were right on top of her when it happened.  
  
* * * *  
  
With the reforming of her skin Memial * knew * that the water she was about to hit would never hurt her but instead, would obey and protect her. As she made contact the water enveloped her inside of itself, a protected cushion, a safe haven. The water slowly caressing her as she floated under the surface, Memial smiled and knew what she could do to save her friends. Taking the water into her lungs, like it was air, she straightened herself and looked upwards. The surface was no more than fifteen feet away, perfect.  
  
Her hair floating all around, like fine coffee sea weed and her expression gentle and almost holy looking. With her hands out stretched to both sides, she balled them into fists and sort of, grabbed, the water with her mind.  
  
Opening her eyes she gave a mental shove and the water shot up, fifty feet in the air. A look of deep concentration fell over her face as she struggled to control the power, she opened her palms tell they where face up towards the waters surface. With a sudden jerk of her arms and mind she sent the streams of water hurling towards the green monsters attacking her friends.  
  
* * * *  
  
:: I spit it slow so these kids know that I'm talkin' to em, give it back to these damn critics and sock it to em  
  
I'm like a thug, with a little bit of Pac influence, I spew it, and look how I got you bitches rockin' to it  
  
you motherfuckas could never do it like I could do it, don't even try it, you'll look stupid, do not pursue it  
  
don't ever in your life, try to knock the truest, I spit the illest shit, ever been dropped to two inch  
  
so ticky-tock listen as the sound ticks on the clock, listen to the sound of Kim as she licks on a cock  
  
listen to the sound of me spillin' my heart through this pen, motherfuckers know that I'll never be Marshall again  
  
Full of controversy until I retire my jersey, till the fire inside dies and expires at thirty  
  
and Lord have mercy on any more of these rappers that verse me, and put a curse on authorities in the face of adversity  
  
I'm a... ::  
  
On his knees, gasping for air, Aiken stared at the Vo'galth as its claws sweeped down towards him. "Nooo!" screamed Brinn and Lukc at the same time.  
  
A Vo'galth's face was seconds away from being bashed in by Deidre's and Gok's sticks.  
  
Jez was trying to decide which of the fools to kill first.  
  
Then like the vultures upon the dead, the water was there. It crashed upon the Vo'gatlh, consuming them. Not a drop of the life giving liquid touched any of the teenagers, but the Vo'galth were not so lucky. It surrounded them, each in it's own special bubble that lifted them a few feet off the ground.  
  
The creatures screamed and thrashed, threw themselves against the water bubbles outer layer in desperation. Clawing their throats in desperation for air, they floundered about in their own personal water bubbles of death. It took 10 minutes for the last Vo'galth to stop spasming. They were dead, to the last one.  
  
//Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!// the evil voice nicknamed 'Frank' screamed in rage, so loudly that Jez dropped to her knees in pain.  
  
Then the water dissipated into the air and the bodies of the dead fell to the ground like dead fish. As the last one fell a beam of sunlight flooded the spot where they stood and slowly spread out wards until the black clouds were gone. The golden light shone brightly, a testament that they had faugh the evil, fought the night, and survived to see the suns light once more.  
  
Gently, the waters of Rainbow Lake placed Memial's unconscious form on the shore, the birds could be heard singing once more. Not a word spoken between anyone. Aiken walked over towards Deidre and grasped her hand tightly before walking towards Memial. Lukc and Gok embraced their family member with joy, gladdened to see they were all alive. As one, the three followed Aiken and Deidre's example.  
  
Jez sat there, staring at the group of young soldiers as they walked towards Memial's form. Her mind turned inward, arguing with the voices normally hanging around in her head.  
  
:: I'm a soldier, these shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never slip or stumble  
  
I'm a soldier, These shoulders hold up so much, they won't budge, I'll never fall or fold up  
  
I'm a soldier, Even if my collar bones crush or crumble, I will never stumble ::  
  
And the sun shined on. 


	5. The First Deaths

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Authors Notes: Just remember, another word for a female dog is bitch. Just thought we'd tell you that so you can understand the play on words later on in the story. Nothing much to say except we love you all! And we're tired as heck. Remember, we need reviews! We live off of them!!! Please, review us, we're lonely. ;_;  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Fallen IceAngel: Your right, not that many people do read Terry Brooks stories and of those who do. . . how many really know about fanfiction? Thanks, we think our stories good too. Therefore, we charge you with a mission, convert as many people as possible into Shannara loving freaks like us!  
  
// Nonsense! My Vo'galth are unstop . . . able. Damn, she is kicking ass.// Yeah, we too were proud of that statement. Very proud. We tried to keep the conversation between Ash 'Frank' Midnight and Jez as humors as the situation would allow. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
Sora Potter: We love you for reviewing. Thank you soooooooo much! "Mommy, what's Mr. Pibb?" "Well honey, it's kind of like Dr. Pepper, only without the medical degree."  
  
Chapter Five: The First Deaths  
  
* * * *  
  
The sun shown brightly on the warm earth, lighting all within its grasp, and looking down upon the cool waters of Rainbow Lake. The clouds, completely white fluff, were riding the high winds of fortune, and not giving a care to those below. On the shores of the bright, clear lake, a group of teenager boys and girls sat in scattered exhausted states. To them, the world wasn't bright and cheerful with breezes laughing away care. To them, this world was very grave and bleak, a death scene with blood soaked dirt.  
  
"So," Aiken sighed, looking at one face to another of the three teenagers. Pointing to each one of them in order from the lake, he named them off, "You're Brinn. You're Lukc. And you're Gok."  
  
"Yes, that's correct," Lukc nodded. "Nice to see the battle didn't rattle your brain."  
  
Aiken gave a puff of air indigently. "Hey, I wasn't the one laughing like a maniac."  
  
"I was laughing?" Lukc looked puzzled.  
  
"Do you guys think she'll be alright?" Deidre, who sat next to Aiken, pointed to the motionless body in front of her. She hadn't been paying attention to the boy's conversation, but instead was wondering how the heck this strange girl killed all of those creatures. Deidre, herself, had killed one of them, but not with floating water.  
  
"Is she dead?" Jez's voice was right behind Gok, making him jump.  
  
"No," Deidre answered.  
  
"Is she dying?" There wasn't a hint of concern in her voice, though it wasn't cold or distant.  
  
"Um, I don't think so," Deidre cocked her head.  
  
"Then she'll be fine," Jez plotted down in between Gok and Lukc.  
  
"How do you think she did that," Aiken struggled with the words, "that . . . water, bubble thing . . ."  
  
"Magick," Lukc and Jez said at the same time.  
  
"I've never seen magick like that," Brinn commented.  
  
"I've never seen magick," Aiken added. "Well, aside from street performers and card tricks. But they don't count when compared to this."  
  
Gok sighed, "Well, we've only seen the Wishsong, and even so, magick has been forbidden in the reach of the Federation."  
  
"But the Federation was destroyed," Brinn said stubbornly. He hated the Federation so much, with all of its rules to restrict magick, rules that basically, he felt, forbid the Ohmfords from living.  
  
"They had a hold on the Southland for the last hundred years, and there's many people who don't think that they're really gone," Gok pointed out. "Just because the leader was destroyed - we shouldn't be talking politics right now."  
  
"Why not?" Brinn shook his head in confusion, then it made sense. "Oh! Well, maybe she's a druid?"  
  
"I've never heard of a druid do something like that." Lukc said, puzzled.  
  
"A druid?" Aiken asked, his eyes lighting up. "You mean, a real druid?"  
  
"Yes, but the only living druid I know of is our Uncle Dark."  
  
"Cool! Hey, do you guys have dragons?" he couldn't but help to ask. To Aiken, dragons were very real and he has read just about every fantasy book based upon them.  
  
"Dragons aren't real," Deidre piped up. "Nor is magick . . . I think."  
  
"Magick is real," Brinn defended. "All three of us have it, and so does your friend, it seems."  
  
Deidre gave him a puzzling look while his cousins shot him a "shut up" look. Aiken, however, was a believer in magick, but not observation. "She's not my friend," he pointed to the unmoving girl. "I don't even know her name."  
  
"Memial," Jez mumbled.  
  
As if that was the magic word, the girl, Memial, stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked at the sun and shielded her eyes from it with her hand. "I wasn't snoring, was I?"  
  
"No," Aiken answered. "Any more potatoes attacking you?"  
  
"Shut up," Memial growled with a slight blush. "That didn't happen."  
  
"Are you okay?" Deidre broke in. "Does your head hurt? How's the rest of your body? You know, you could've drowned. I know CPR, but I don't think I'd done it on you. You might have not liked it. Maybe one of the boys would've done it. You know, my Uncle Bo preformed CPR on one of his friends. His friend and he were at the beach and they were swimming. He, Uncle Bo's friend, went too far out in the water, and the waves were getting bigger. He was trying to body surf the really big waves - I mean these waves were BIG! Three times taller than him - though he's pretty short. He's shorter than me. You know, I'm taller than most people in my family, but when I go to school, I'm the short kid. Well-"  
  
"Shut up!" Memial rasped, pushing herself into a sitting position. "You're giving me a headache!"  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I just can't help but talk and talk. My dad scorns me for talking so much, but I really only do it when I'm sad, or nervous, or anger, or happy. Uncle Bo doesn't think I talk too much. One time, I was talking to him, and all he was doing was staring at me, and when I asked him about his thoughts, he looked at me blankly and said that I was a cute kid. He's very kind. He's always taking me places when no one will. He really doesn't care that much. If I-"  
  
Memial let out a half annoyed and half amused shout while covering Deirdre's mouth with her hand. "Girl, PLEASE seek help. If not for yourself, then for my sanity."  
  
"Sorry," was all that Deidre mumbled. For a moment, everyone waited to see if she'd start up one of her stories.  
  
When nothing happened, Memial stood up, her knees almost giving out. Aiken, the closest to her, moved to help, but she waved him away. With a few short steps, she was walking as if nothing had happened before.  
  
"Well, shit," Memial tossed her hair back. "That was fun, wasn't it?"  
  
Gok suddenly pipes up. "Are you a druid?"  
  
Memial thought for a moment. "A dude? Do I LOOK like a DUDE?!"  
  
"Drew-id," Lukc pronounced slowly in correction.  
  
"Sorry. Druid. No, I'm not."  
  
"Then what are you?" Gok questioned.  
  
"A girl, I do believe," Memial answered. "Um, what are you're guy's names?"  
  
So a round of introductions was made and everyone knew everyone's name.  
  
"Hmm," Memial, who was sitting again, pondered, "Well, we aren't in California, that's for sure. Where did you guys say we where? Calla . . . Calla . . . "  
  
"Callahorn," Gok offered.  
  
"Right. Where's Callahorn?"  
  
"In the Southland." When Gok saw their confusion not clear up, he added, "The Four Lands."  
  
"Oooooh, I see!" Memial said as she nodded her head. "So, where are the Four Lands?"  
  
Brinn, Gok and Lukc were all stunned into silence with gaping holes that sound was suppose to come out of. Memial, Aiken, and Deidre were all looking at each other in mute understanding.  
  
"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Jez whispered in a haunted, maniac voice.  
  
"Shades!" Brinn jumped up, causing everyone to start. "If those things were here, attacking us, who was protecting our families at the inn?!"  
  
"Shades!" the other two Ohmsford echoed their cousin, jumping up as well.  
  
In a short period of time, the brothers had their boat tied down, their fishing equipment on their back, and were walking towards Varfleet at a fast pace. Aiken was the first to snap out of his daze. "Wait up!" he called, grabbing Deidre's hand and tugging her after him as he chased the three other boys. Memial and Jez shared a look of slight confusion before Memial shrugged and chased after everyone, Jez following a few feet behind.  
  
"Where are we going?" Deidre asked as they strode forward, her tiny legs having difficulty keeping up with everyone else.  
  
Just when she thought her question was going to go unanswered Gok responded to his battle companions query. "To our home. Varifleet."  
  
Silently, the group walked at a steady pace, the four Californian teenagers respecting their brothers in arms need for silence as they all headed towards Varifleet.  
  
Lukc was the first to break the quiet with a question for Memial. "Tell me, after all that magick you did, are you feeling the least bit tired, or have you done that enough before that you're used to it by now?"  
  
"No and No, to both questions."  
  
"I see. Then how did you do that?" Lukc's emphasis on the word 'did' in his sentence stressed exactly how curious he was about what she had done earlier. "Are you sure you're not a druid?"  
  
"Listen," she said, exasperated, "Don't you think that if I was one of these 'druid' people I would know it?"  
  
"I guess so, yeah."  
  
"Then I guess you just answered your own question, didn't you?"  
  
"I guess I did, at that."  
  
Everything was silent for a few moments, then. . .  
  
"But how * did * you do it?"  
  
"Ugh. Drop it. Just. Drop IT! Ok?"  
  
"Ok, but tell me, really, how did you . . ."  
  
* * * *  
  
Deidre stared at the big, masculine hand grasping hers as they walked. Glancing upwards, she watched as Brinn and Gok tried to convince Aiken dragons did * not * exist.  
  
"I was talking to my Aunt, she's the Queen of the Elves, and she once described a creature similar to what you speak of, but it was part of a folk tale. I'm telling you Aiken, dragons don't exist." Said Gok  
  
"Let me get this strait. There's Elves here, but no Dragons? What next? Trolls?" By this time, Aiken was getting slightly pissed. Out of all the fantasy, magickal lands he could end up in, why did it have to be one with no dragons?! In fact, he was so busy making sure that there were no dragons, he forgot to let go of Deidre's hand.  
  
"Of course there's Rock Trolls." Brinn interrupted, "Everyone knows that."  
  
Trying to be helpful, Gok volunteered more information. "There are also the Gnomes, who live in Anar of the Eastland."  
  
"Gnomes?! Elves?! Rock Trolls?!?! But no bloody Dragons?!?!?!?!" Aiken was screeching by then. Of course, the screeches came out very manly in Deidre's opinion.  
  
"Also . . ."  
  
* * * *  
  
Tuning out the conversations taking place around her, Jez turned herself on autopilot and focused on what was taking place in her mind. Her eyesight turned black as she spiraled deeper inside of herself, until she was in a vast, empty abyss.  
  
"Hello?" she called out, her voice seeming to echo. She waited a few moments, and then tried again.  
  
"Hello?" This time, instead of echoing, her voice disappeared even as the sound left her mouth.  
  
"Frank?" she called out.  
  
"My Vo'galth. My precious Vo'galth. That bitch killed my precious Vo'galth."  
  
"Yeah, she did. And she did a pretty good job of it, at that. Now, why did you send those freaky monsters after us?"  
  
"I didn't send them after you, I sent them to fetch you here. Some how the spell messed up and . . . why am I explaining this all to you!?"  
  
"Because I'm so easy to talk to. Now, Frank, keep talking."  
  
"Don't call me Frank! I am your master and you will do as I command!"  
  
"No," Jez drew out the thought. "*I* am your master and you'll do as *I* command!"  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Are not! *I* am your master because I can act more mature than you!"  
  
"Ha! HA HA HA bloody HA! I bet your balls haven't even dropped yet."  
  
"How dare you! My balls dropped over 65 years ago, thank you very much."  
  
"Yeah, dropped and hit the floor by now."  
  
" I don't look a day over 24."  
  
"Sure, and I'm sane." "Bitch."  
  
"Yeah, but not yours."  
  
"We are * not * doing this again. Am I clear woman?"  
  
"Clear as dog shit in a swamp."  
  
It took a few minutes for 'Frank' to process that one.  
  
"That's a new one."  
  
"Just made it up myself. You like?"  
  
"Yes, very unique and descriptive. I take it you have a flare for words?"  
  
"Oh yes, Frank, I love them."  
  
"Ash."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My name, it's Ash. Ash Midnight. What's yours?"  
  
"Jez, Jezebel Lee."  
  
* * * *  
  
After what seemed to Deidre absolutely forever, she finally got up the courage (or to be more specific she finally got tired enough of walking) to ask how much longer it would be before they got to Varifleet.  
  
Happy for the distraction, Brinn answered her. " We're almost there."  
  
"My feet," complained Memial, "hurt. Badly."  
  
Aiken was finally distracted from his dragon conversation, long enough, at least, to ask a question. "How long is the walk from the Lake to you home?"  
  
"Oh," said Lukc, "about three hours or so of a good walking pace."  
  
"Three hours?!" he shouted. "Have we been walking that long?"  
  
"Just about," Gok nodded.  
  
"Whoa, it doesn't seem that long," Memial mused, thankful, too, for a distraction from Lukc. "I'm tired, but I didn't think I would even last this long . . ."  
  
"Your mind was on other things," Lukc pointed out, to which Memial nodded in agreement. In a few seconds of silence, Lukc pointed in front of them and proclaimed, "There's Varfleet."  
  
Up ahead on the flat lands, the road that they walked on led to a large cluster of buildings. From the edge of the lake to out of their eyesight, buildings, one story or two and some three, loomed with slopping roofs all the same color and hardly any lawns if there were any at all. They were either of wood or brick, with wooden signs hanging from above a doorway of some. Inns, alehouses, armor and weapon stores, spice stores, blacksmiths, fabric stores, food stores, and many other places were taken into note by the Californian teenagers. This was only the business section of the city, one of the Ohmsford brothers informed, though it was pretty much the same anywhere they went in the city.  
  
In the street, crowds of people - a few on horses - were shifting in an erratic pattern from here to there and there to here. No one really paid any attention to the person they just bumped into, but they gave notice to the teenagers walking hurriedly down the road. Most shouted out to Lukc and asked if he was performing that night, while some stared at the outlandishly clothed four strangers. Three of the four teenagers tried to avoid as many stares as possible; truly realizing how different their clothes seemed from everyone else's. Jez just kept on walking, paying no heed to anyone.  
  
"So, where's this inn of yours?" Memial mumbled, still not looking up at anyone.  
  
"Just two more streets down," Lukc answered after saying hello to a bunch of teenage girls.  
  
"He's popular, huh?" Deidre noted to Brinn and Gok.  
  
Gok tried to hide his ill feelings toward it, but a little showed in his tight voice. "He sings songs at our ale house on a near nightly bases. The songs are about our family heritage and he does it so well that almost everyone knows about him in Varfleet."  
  
"Wow. He must very good, then."  
  
"No. Well, he is; he's had practice. But, I'll tell you later. There's still Federation spies in Varfleet, even though the Federation was suppose to be nothing but a memory."  
  
"Oh, okay," Deidre nodded, remembering faintly about the no magic rule of the Federation. That, and Gok really didn't seem all too happy about his brother being in the spot light. She could relate. No one really pays her any attention in her family. It's always about her younger sisters or her grandma or someone else besides her. Though Uncle Bo always paid attention to her.  
  
"Stop babbling," Memial told her.  
  
"What? I didn't say anything!" Deidre was really appalled.  
  
"No, but you were thinking and it was how you babble, wasn't it?"  
  
Of course it was just like that, but Deidre wouldn't admit it. She just walked beside Aiken, taking in the sights, and hardly noticing that they had been holding hands for the past three hours.  
  
"Hey Lukc!" cried another group of girls as they headed the opposite direction. Gok stared strait ahead, ignoring everyone walking by.  
  
Two blocks later and they were back at the inn. "Wow," whispered Deidre, "It's huge." The building was two levels tall, and a hundred feet long, with a stage jutting off the common room side. It was made completely of wood and reminded Memial, vaguely, of a mix between a tavern in the Old Wild West and a log cabin in the woods.  
  
Running up the steps to the front door, Gok got a strange feeling in his gut. Something wasn't right. Pushing hard, hard as he could with his over abused protesting muscles, he opened the door and was greeted with a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life.  
  
"Dad!" his aching scream lanced the air like a knife. Then everyone else was at the door and he was running towards the fallen form of his beloved father, jumping over broken pieces of furniture and the occasional human corpse. In the corner, a warm blaze danced merrily.  
  
He fell to the ground beside his dad, Brinn and Lukc right beside him.  
  
"Dad," he sobbed while gently cradling the dying body of his father in his arms. He barely registered the dead bodies of his mother, his Aunt Damson or his Uncle Parr.  
  
"Dad."  
  
Slowly, his father's eyes opened as he took shallow breaths, the act of forcing air into his lungs a desperate battle, a battle against time and fate. His brown eyes had lost their customary sparkle and were slowly fading to a dull, stupid dung color.  
  
"Lukc, Gok." He rasped. Far off, Gok felt an ice pick slam into his heart. Lukc and Brinn were trying desperately not to cry. In the background Memial, Aiken and Deidre huddled together, watching the sad play taking place. Jez had wondered off to the kitchens, on a food raid.  
  
"Father, what happened?" Lukc barely chocked out.  
  
"We were attacked," he answered in a whisper. "Listen, Lukc, Gok, my sons, you must go get Walker and ask for his help. Go get the elf stones from your aunt . . . and look out for each other."  
  
"Father what are you talking about?!" Gok cried, a lone tear falling down his cheek. "Just hang on a moment longer; we'll get some help!"  
  
"No," Coll feebly grabbed Gok's hand. "It's too late . . . Brinn, please, guard my children. . . . I love all of you, my boys."  
  
And with those final words, Coll's grasp on Gok's shaking hand loosened and his breath stopped. Lukc shakily touched his father's forehead and dragged his hand across Coll's eyes, closing them forever.  
  
" . . . Father," Gok whispered, shaking with sobs.  
  
"Damn," a whisper came from the fireplace. Jez sat in front of the fire, nibbling on what looked to be a sandwich and said, "Now that's touching. Talk about a Kodak moment."  
  
"You dog!" screamed Brinn, jumping up, his face burning a bright crimson. Striding forward, he grabbed for her but was pulled back, struggling, by Aiken and Lukc. Gok just sat there, lost in his pain while Memial and Deidre gazed at the unfolding scene with shock and disgust.  
  
Jez just sat and smirked. "Yeah, but no your bitch."  
  
Just then the back door was falling off its broken hinges and in its place stood an imposing figure, outlined in shadows. Walker Boh had arrived. 


	6. Scream Into the Night

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
Ha ha! We're finally getting this formatting thing down. Fanfiction.net is so hard to format with for some reason . . . maybe later on we'll go back and fix the other chapters, edit them up and all that. But not now, getting these chapters finished, beta'd and published every Wednesday is hard enough as it is.  
  
We are sorry for the delay in this chapter. Our reason of being late is the fact that we had Winter Brake last week and we thought that we would have plenty of time to get the chapter up. Ha-ha. Our relitives had other plans for us. So, here it is at last - at least it's long!  
  
And Lunablue moved!! ;_; Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!! Not fair!! Not fair!! Now we're going to have to send the fic back and forth by e-mail! *sniffle* And because we can't spend hours on end bs-ing around or writing the fic, then I do believe that the chapters will be updated every two weeks now. Sorry everybody!!!  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Sora Potter,  
  
WE SHALL COUNTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Terra Tigra and Pantera,  
  
Thank you for that long review! ^__^ And for staying up until 2:00am reading it. We take pleasure in knowing that we're costing you your sleep. (jk) We were flattered by it. And we don't mind long reviews - we love them! Lastly, let all who think Terry Brooks suck burn!  
  
Chapter Six: Scream Into The Night  
  
* * * *  
  
The first thing Walker Boh noticed when entering the tavern was his nephew Brinn being held back by Lukc and some strange, blonde boy.  
  
"What in the Four Lands is going on here?" His commanding voice faded off as he saw the wrecked state of the room. Lukc and Aiken released Brinn, who's troubles now laid on the same path as Walker Boh, and no longer with Jez.  
  
"Uncle Dark?" sobbed Gok, from his kneed positioned on the floor. Walker saw that he was holding a body, but turned away and clutched in the boy's arms, Walker couldn't tell who it was. He had no time to think upon it, for his nephew gave him the answer he had dreaded on his travels. "Oh, Uncle Dark, they're dead. All of them, my family, we were to late and now they're all dead!"  
  
A wave of sorrow and disbelieve washed over the Druid as he recognized Coll in Gok's arms. The bodies of Par and their respective wives, no longer hidden by the shadows of doubts from Walker's mind, all lying in distorted positions across the rooms common. Slowly, feeling the weight of eternity on his shoulders, he knelt down beside his nephew and placed a hand on the boys back.  
  
"From the earth we come Gok, and in the end it is to the earth we all must return. Your family loved you, children, so remember the good times and stop your tears. You are men now. All of you." Walker said in a painful voice, knowing this was no time to brake down and weep to the heavens, but wishing so much to have the lesser need of keeping up a strong imagine for his remaining family to cling to.  
  
Giving the boy one last pat on the back, the Druid arose and surveyed the room, taking in the four strangers odd appearance. Memial, her chestnut colored hair knotted, a stray leaf hanging in it and her jeans had dried stiffly, was standing in front of the door with Deidre, who had hundreds of shallow scratches on her face and blood caked on her small Strawberry Shortcake T-shirt. Aiken was standing off to the side looking uncomfortable, his long sleeved shirt ripped to ribbons and his jeans in an even worse state. Jez was still sitting in front of the fireplace, warming her feet and eating her food, not looking the least bit uncomfortable, or damaged by whatever had caused the other three strangers to be in their current states.  
  
"Who might you four be?" he questioned, his dark voice deepened with sorrow and suspicion.  
  
"We be Memial," she gestured to herself, and then the others as name dictated the gesture be given. "And this be Aiken, Deidre, and Jez. Who be you?"  
  
"This is our Uncle Dark, Walker Boh, but most people just call him Walker," Lukc answered for his uncle.  
  
At this Deidre's high pitched voice burst into the room, startling everyone but Aiken, who was used to it by now.  
  
"Uncle Bo? Your name is Uncle Bo?! My Uncle's name is Bo, that's so cool, that you guys share the same name and all that. I once met a girl who had my name, but she had brown hair instead of black like mine. I loved her pretty brown hair; I want brown hair. But Uncle Bo says I shouldn't dye it because he likes it just the way it is. He always likes everything about me 'just the way it is.' It's so annoying! Sometimes I just get so annoyed with him, that I want to him with my stick! I did that once, hit him with a stick, I mean. But he didn't die like the flying green stick creatures did. He. . ."  
  
At the mention of flying green stick creatures Walker snapped out of his glazed daze and interrupted the girl's annoying chatter. "Flying green monsters? What flying green monsters? What do you speak of girl?"  
  
He turned and stared at her with all the intensity he could muster, as if by pure force of will he could extract the answers from her. Under the intensity of his eyes, Deidre shriveled back and seemed to shrink in on herself.  
  
"Umm," was all that Deidre could do was whimper fearfully.  
  
Then Aiken was there, standing in front of her and staring the druid face on. "She speaks of creatures, taller than you, that glow green and reek of evil. They attacked my companions and your nephews earlier this morning, at a lake. I would assume the death of the people in this room was caused by the same monsters." Not once did his voice tremble as he faced the formidable, older man.  
  
They stood there, Aiken and Walker, staring at each other, measuring one another up. Testosterone was heavy in the air as they held their private battle. Then it was over as Walker shook his head to clear away all of his extra mental confusion and focused on what was important.  
  
"These creatures, have any of you ever seen them before?"  
  
"No, but the blonde girl over near the fireplace seemed to know about them, at least, she called them by name. Um, Jez, I think's her name."  
  
This time it was Jez who suffered the infamous gaze of druid Walker Boh - or, should have suffered, except she just sat there content as a cat with cream.  
  
"What were they?" Walker asked.  
  
She tilted her head to the side and smiled secretively, then whispered stingingly:  
  
"They are the ones who haunt young children under the beds. They are the ones whose wings fill the sky Created from your nightmares, creatures who lord over hell  
  
With the last half-sung note of her little poem, Jez fell back into a blissful state of watching the fire dance on the logs. Everyone stared at her, with a little confusion, for a moment, before Aiken spoke up.  
  
"Yeah . . . She's also a little crazy."  
  
"A little?" Brinn growled, to which Aiken just shrugged. "That *thing* has no feelings whatsoever! She is as bad as those monsters that attacked us by Rainbow Lake!"  
  
Jez pouted her lips and sniffled. "Yoo dwon't like me?" she asked in an overly played little kid's voice. "I twat we was friends."  
  
Clutching his fist in rage, Brinn began a low growl in his throat. Lukc, who had been standing next to Brinn for safety measures, grasped the shoulder of Brinn and spoke softly, "Now's not the time for that, Cousin."  
  
Once his cousin had un-tensed his muscles, Lukc turned his attention to his uncle, he inquired, "Do you know of anything of what these creatures might be, Uncle Dark?"  
  
Uncle Dark shook his head no, reflecting for a moment on a time when Par and Coll were just children and they would call him the Dark Uncle. Walker wasn't sure on how the words got mixed around, but it had somehow happened. "I have no information about these creatures. They aren't Shadowen - those were wiped out long ago, before any of you were born."  
  
"Burning the soul, racking the body, That's their fun, They know no sun, They carry Night with their retched hearts, And blacken the earth like midnight, From fire and the cool abyss, they're evil's knights, They are the Vo'galth."  
  
"I grow weary of the monster's constant rambling rhythms," Brinn snarled.  
  
"Stop calling her a monster," Memial spoke up, causing a few glances to travel her way. "You're only turning your hopeless feelings into anger and it doesn't help to do that at this time."  
  
"Oh, what does a stupid girl know about anger and hopelessness?! You ever come home and find - find THIS?!" he gestured wildly at the room, feeling the hot tears burning the back of his eyes.  
  
"No, but that's still no reason to be angry at Jez!" Memial snapped back, ignoring Deidre's plead to not fight. "And for your information, it looks like I'll never get home at all!"  
  
A cold silence filled the room, and for a moment, it seemed that time had stopped for a heart beat. Memial stood near the door, flush with anger. Deidre and Aiken, just a body apart from Memial, gaped at the girl, unbelieving were their hearts, but shattered were their ears. The Ohmsford boys looked shocked at the bite of her tongue, but the ones who remained unaffected by all of this were Walker Boh and Jez. Walker just stood still, as if not to brake the moment. However, Jez . . .  
  
Jez fell out of her chair, laughing as if she heard the funniest joke in the world. Clutching her sides and rolling on the ground, she gasped for air as the laughter bubbled out of her lungs like a harmonious child skipping along the sidewalk of a bright, sunny day.  
  
"Fuck," Memial shook her head and placed her face in an hand.  
  
"As . . . unusual as this girl seems," Walker sighed, "she the only with the answers for the moment."  
  
He walked over to the girl, Jez, who was just calming down, shook her shoulder to get her attention. "Girl. Jez. What do you of these creatures, the Vo'galth?"  
  
"Oh, that they're really cool, and bad asses to the core. But if they can get their asses beaten by *those* two-" she pointed to Memial and Deidre "- then they can't be all that powerful."  
  
"And you have no other information on them?" Walker inquired.  
  
"Hmm, let me see," she dragged out her words, and sped up her response with a grin. "Nope!"  
  
"She's a crazy monster," Brinn accused once more. "How does she know all of this? Is she on the side of the Vo'galth herself?!"  
  
"There is no use in making accusations you cannot prove, Nephew," Walker shot him a disapproving glance. "I know this is a hard time for you right now . . ."  
  
"Father," Gok whispered, the first word he spoke in a long time. The dead, cold body of Coll he still clung to in his arms, the only warmth upon that body was from the teenager boy, who could feel as if his own life were being sucked out into his father's. Maybe, if he held on long enough . . . "Father . . ."  
  
"Gok, come on," Lukc knelt beside his brother. "Stop this, please. It's hard enough as it is."  
  
"Bu-but . . . Father," Gok sobbed.  
  
"Gok, you're going to have to let go," Brinn sat on the other side of his cousin, and tried to pry Gok's hands off the dead man. "Come on, Gok, you know this isn't healthy!"  
  
"No!" Gok screamed and tightened his grip on the body, nearly doubling over in the effort.  
  
"Gok, let go, now!" Lukc demanded, doing his best to retch his brother off, but Gok refused to yield.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Then Walker Boh was behind him, scooping him up with hardly any effort, and it was then that the four other teenagers noticed that Walker Boh had only one hand. His right arm was cut off just below the elbow bend. Walker, with his one good arm, jerked Gok off the body and dragged the screaming and crying boy away from it.  
  
"No! Father! Let me be my father!" Gok shouted, struggling with all of his might.  
  
Brinn, a step behind, followed his cousin and uncle outside. Lukc took a glance to Jez, Aiken, Deidre and Memial, mumbled that he was sorry and then headed off of to the rest of his family.  
  
"Shit . . ." Deidre mumbled sorrowfully.  
  
"Yeah, shit is right," Aiken echoed.  
  
Jez was staring at the fire now and had been threw the whole episode, waving her hand in front to rid herself the imagines that scene brought back from years ago in her own life. . .  
  
* * * *  
  
Gok was still screaming and thrashing as Walker Boh held him tightly. His brother and cousin, tried to call to him, but his screams where too loud. They tried to touch him, but his limbs lashed out like angry snakes. For fifteen minutes, it seemed helpless.  
  
Lukc got a firm grip on Gok's arms and pushed them down, Brinn slapped Gok as hard as possible with an open fist. Gok, shocked, stopped yelling for a moment. A moment was all that was needed.  
  
"Dad said that he was proud of us," Lukc rushed the words in fear of Gok acting up again. "Do you think he'd be proud of you now, if he saw you acting like this?!"  
  
With a few blinks, Gok's limbs fell limp and he no longer struggled in the arm of his uncle Dark. He realized how much warmer Walker felt compare to his father. It was all too much to take at once . . . He was nearly killed and then found his parents dead . . .  
  
Walker released the young boy and watched sadly as Gok sank to the ground in a fit of sobs. His family knelt by his sides: Lukc to his right, Brinn to his left, and Walker behind.  
  
"Wh-wh-why?" Gok choked between sobs.  
  
"We don't know," Brinn whispered, "But it happened. We all wish it didn't, but . . . it did."  
  
Holding Gok's shoulder to make sure he stayed upright, Lukc noticed how much of a child Gok still seemed. He was so small and his eyes were dominated by innocence. Even with his cool, non-caring outer shell that was developed from years of years of being the butt-end of jokes from the school kids, Gok was still the youngest, the most child-like, of them all.  
  
"C-couldn't you do anything?" Gok's voice was thick. The one he referred to did not need to be addressed by name.  
  
"I tried, Gok. I tried," Walker said in a low voice, close to his nephew's ear. So wrapped up in misery, Walker forgot for a moment his cool, distant attitude and let the three boys hear his inner being speak for the first time. "I'm just as sad as you that they left like this. It was an unjustly thing to happen to anyone."  
  
Something from Walker's voice - his tone, his word, or his complete honesty - had Gok taking his last few sobs, until he stopped crying all together. A single and last tear fled the scene, caring away a bit of the ache that tore at the boy's heart. With a low voice, much like Walker's, Gok expressed his last unanswered fear. "What's going to happen to us now?"  
  
"By law, the alehouse is yours now - all three of you," Walker informed. "However, we have some more pressing matters at hand. I must find out more about the Vo'galth, whatever I can. And you must all be kept safe. Look at me boys."  
  
The three teenagers, who were so roughly pushed into adulthood with the passing of their parents, turned to gaze at Walker with helpless eyes. Even if they were now men, they were still young and didn't know what to do. Walker wished none of this had happened.  
  
"You all have the Wishsong," Walker said what they needed to hear in his best, study voice. "Use it only when you absolutely have to but don't hold back when your lives are threatened. You three on the last of the Ohmsfords; you have a history of heroes in your blood."  
  
Confidence slowly crept back into the boy's eyes and they were soon thinking the same thing. It was time to stand up and to for fill their family name. It was time to find a way to beat the Vo'galth.  
  
They all got up, one after the other, and were just about ready to make the plans to presume their adventure, when suddenly Brinn blurts out, "Memial!"  
  
"What?" Lukc questioned.  
  
Brinn turned to his cousins and asked, "What are we going to do about Memial, Aiken, Deidre, and Jez? We just can't leave them stranded; they didn't even know what the Four Lands are!"  
  
To this, Walker was taken back a little bit, though he hid his surprise. In rapid-fire thought process, he came to a theory that might explain where they were from. "Did they say where they were from?" Walker asked cautiously.  
  
"Um, no," Brinn pondered. "Oh, wait! They said . . . something, when we first met them today. I can't remember what it was, but it sounded like a name of a place, possibly where they lived."  
  
"Let's go ask them," Gok piped up, then seemed to take a mental step back. The Ohmsfords had left the four teenagers in the alehouse, with his dead family, he just remembered.  
  
"Gok, why don't you help me get the horses ready?" Brinn offered quickly.  
  
"Okay," Gok was already walking towards the stables and away from the alehouse.  
  
Brinn followed after him, running a mental list that he made for their many trips to Rainbow Lake or Tyrsis or Leah when their friends were home and not off fighting for the Gnomes' freedom. The list was of the usual things to pack for trips: clothes, food, tents, and all of the little things that go with them.  
  
* * * *  
  
In the alehouse, Memial had started to clear a straight path to certain areas of the common room, needing something to take her mind off of the dead bodies sprawled on the floor. At one point, she had made it over to the door where the Ohmsfords and Walker Boh had gone. When she stilled heard the screaming of Gok, she quickly went to the other side of the room, knowing that they didn't want her help and she could hardly stand it herself.  
  
Aiken took it upon himself to put the bodies into a more realistic position. Coll, Gok's father, didn't really need to be moved, however, the others weren't so lucky. The other man, who looked just like an elf from Aiken's fantasy novels, had a broken arm and his head was twisted nearly all the way around, making his neck look like a ringed cloth. The woman who had rich, auburn hair falling in loose, natural curls to her waist was draped over a broken-in-half table with a look of horror sealed into her face. The best Aiken could do was put her on the ground and close her eyes. The last woman, with ordinary looks of any human being, had two sets of four claw marks across her back. Though there wasn't any way of knowing for certain because Aiken didn't pay attention to how many fingers the Vo'galth had, he was quite sure that the claw marks were made by those creatures. Who else could have-?  
  
"Ack!" he jumped back after flipping the woman over. Blood stained her clothes and her skin was ripped opened in a few places, to and pass the bones. Aiken had seen a lot of violence in movies and comic books and pictures on the news - even saw a car accident where the guy got a peace of glass in his eye - but this was nothing like any of those. All of the other times he saw batter bodies he only saw the blood and here, on this woman, he could see the bone; this was the first time ever being this close to an actual, brutal killing in his life. It wasn't a fun thing.  
  
Deidre felt the same way. She had been basically standing around, trying to figure out what to do. At first, she helped Memial, but in the end, she decided that sticking next to Aiken was the best thing for. (Memial just doesn't like Deidre's motor mouth.)  
  
The smell of the dead was horrible. It must have been at least a few hours now sense they were dead. The place reeked of blood and expired meet. Faint hearted as Deidre was, she managed to stay with Aiken by avoiding the bodies and remembering that she really had no other person to go to. Well, there was Jez, but something about her made Deidre vote for the bodies. It wasn't the fact that she was a lunatic. It was the fact that she was a singing . . . off-key.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mama  
  
I never meant to hurt you  
  
I never meant make you cry  
  
But tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet  
  
One more time  
  
I'm sorry, Mama  
  
I never meant to hurt you  
  
I never meant make you cry  
  
But tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet  
  
One more time . . ."  
  
Jez sang carelessly, even adding her own beat and tone to it every now and then. The fire kept her warm and gave her something to look at other than the other teenagers in the room. //What I wouldn't do for my CD player right now. . .//  
  
But just as she wished it, the back door opened up and Lukc and Walker came into the room. Lukc seemed to pale, but he didn't make eye contact with the bodies and breathed threw his mouth. He could do this; he won't brake down like his brother.  
  
"Lukc, go get the things needed for your trips," Walker ordered.  
  
Lukc, though he would've liked to stay and find more out about the other teenagers, didn't offer any protest. Pass the bodies on the path created by Memial, he took leaps of two stairs until he was on the second floor and in his room, gathering his clothes.  
  
Walker watched the teenagers watch him. All of them (aside from Jez, who didn't seem to care about anything but the fire), were uncomfortable and scared, try as hard as they could to hide it. Deidre was half hidden by Aiken's body, while he stood at full height, and Memial stood off to the left, holding a broken chair.  
  
"Where did you come from?" was the first thing out of his mouth.  
  
"Africa," Memial piped up, happy to be of help. "Everybody knows that."  
  
"I think he was looking for something more up to date," Aiken half-growled.  
  
"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" Deidre asked, covering her mouth with her sleeve.  
  
Walker said nothing, but gestured his hand to the front door. Aiken led the way, holding onto Deidre's hand as she followed behind. Memial was only few steps behind, for her quick conversation with Jez. Jez apparently didn't want to leave the fireplace, but got up and followed Memial out anyway.  
  
"We're from America," Aiken answered Walker as soon as they were in the shadows of a side alley of the alehouse.  
  
"Gilroy, California," Deidre offered. "Well, at least that's where we all lived. I was really born in Vietnam, but came to California when I was little. Uncle Bo is from Vietnam, too, though he sounds more like it, doesn't he? I mean, my name isn't Vietnamese, though I kind of want it to be. I guess my parents wanted me to sound American-like. But I don't see how Deidre sounds American. For that matter-"  
  
"Hush-hush-hush!" Jez rasped out, making everyone stop and look at her. "Do you hear that?"  
  
They all stopped and listened, straining their ears to catch a glimpse of what she had heard. People were still riding the night in horse drawn carriages, though the crowd was thinning. For some reason, no one was heading to the alehouse, looking for a good show and meal that night - possibly a room to sleep in. It was then that Walker noticed a clock of darkness upon it. It was a very simple spell, most of it involving the area around it and no magick at all; it made everything seem dark and forbidden. Whatever had attacked Par and Coll didn't want anyone to find the bodies for some reason. But . . . why?  
  
"What are we suppose to hear?" Aiken finally asked.  
  
"I think I hear it," Deidre whispered. "It doesn't sound like any sound that I've ever heard."  
  
"Of course it doesn't," Jez whispered back. "Your mouth goes non-stop so you couldn't know what silence sounds like."  
  
Deidre opened her mouth to protest, but clamped it shut when she realized that she would just ramble on and on with her non-stop mouth - just like Jez said. Aiken, however, wouldn't take it sitting down.  
  
"Hey, why don't you just go back to your fire place and burn yourself!" he hissed.  
  
"Aiken," Memial shook her head. //He's such a hot head. I can tell this, and I haven't even known him for twenty-four hours.// "Don't make get the freakin' eraser again."  
  
A flash of angry runs across his cheeks as he remembers that early that day they were all in the library and Memial and Jez were tormenting him with a pink eraser. But his anger soon passed into longing, as he wished to be back. His parents were probably looking for him, or wondering where the hell he was.  
  
//So, they are from the Old World,// Walker confirmed. But still, as that answered one, it brought up even more questions. "How did you four come to be here?"  
  
"Well," Memial starched the back of her head. "This might sound crazy, but I think some green fog and Vo'galths brought us here."  
  
"Vo'galth," Jez corrected. "You never add an 's' even when it's pluralized."  
  
Memial shrugged, "Whatever." She turned back to Walker, "So, yeah, some Vo'galth brought us here, I do believe. Hey, you seemed to the knowledgeable one around here. Where *are* we?!"  
  
"In a different time," Walker answered solemnly. "If I am to guess correctly, you're from the Old World, the time of science. You are thousands of years in the future, where magick has replaced science."  
  
A wave of awe and disbelieving faces swept over the teenagers one by one as they realized that impact of his words.  
  
"You mean that somehow we've been transported from our time," Aiken gestured to the ground at his left side and slowly brought his hands over to the right in an arch to show movement as he said, "And landed thousands of years in the future, where there's *real* magick?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But there's still no dragons?!" he blurted.  
  
"What's it with you and dragons?!" Memial couldn't help but ask with a snicker.  
  
"Who cares?" Deidre snapped, half out of protection for Aiken, and the other half out of impertinent. She controlled herself a little bit and found the exact words she needed to get to the point. "Walker, if we're in the future, how'd we get here? And how do we get back?"  
  
"I do not know," his voice never wavered. "I need to find the answers and you need to stay out of trouble."  
  
"You know something," Memial almost whispered. "Are you almost know it, don't you?" When Walker didn't respond, she gave a full-out, cheesy grin! "Oh, c'mon, we're all in the same boat, aren't we?"  
  
He sighed and said, "Stay with my nephews until we meet again."  
  
"You're leaving?" she frowned.  
  
"Tomorrow, after all business has been taken care of."  
  
And with that, he moved past the teenagers, back into the inn, where he ushered Lukc out to the stables as to avoid another "Gok" scene. The teenagers stayed outside a little bit longer, talking over things.  
  
"Okay, so we're in the future," Aiken counted off his fingers as he summed up the day, "all our families are *clearly* dead, we have been mixed up with some magical shit with a family, and there's NO dragons."  
  
With a sigh, Memial wondered aloud, "Should I have told him about the water thing at the river?"  
  
"You mean you haven't already?"  
  
"Nope." She shrugged. "I just didn't see a good way to approach the topic."  
  
Jez laughed harshly. "Ha-ha! There's no way to approach that topic that's 'good.'"  
  
"Yeah, okay, you're right. I'll tell him if I get a moment alone. Something tells me, though, we're in for a long day tomorrow."  
  
With those words, they all went to the stables by following the path and helped the Ohmsfords until they were all too tired to continue working. No one wanted to go back into the alehouse, so they made their beds in the stable and it was the first time the teenagers from the past ever slept in hay. 


	7. How to Insult the Voice in Your Head for...

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
We are together again! That's right! Once more, DragonStarbo and Lunablue are together, in the same city, working on this chapter, just for you! Our beloved readers. . . aren't we so sweet? Yep, DragonStarbo flew all the way down to LA just to come visit me for the weekend. So we decided to write. This is what happened. Lord pity fanfiction.net.  
  
Anywho, we wish to sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. ::insert evil glare towards DragonStarbo from Lunablue::  
  
"Why am I getting the evil glare?" "Because you were in charge of the story tell I got all situated down here!!"  
  
Yeah, back to the notes. Once again, we are SUPER sorry.  
  
Anyways, we've got a semi-new posting schedule for your reading convenience. We would also like to apologize in advance if we don't stick to it. Though we swear to. Promise! ::grin::  
  
Every other Tuesday. Simple sounding? Yes. Simple to follow. No. But we shall try, even unto are dying breath!!! So you all better start praying we don't get halitosis.  
  
So please, enjoy the story and REVIEW!!!!  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
Princess Arwen ,  
  
Another fan! ^___^ Yay! What's up with the Jez girl? Hum, how can we put it that we haven't already said? . . . *thinks* . . . Um, no, can't find another way. She's just nuts. lol. Like any good story and authors, we won't reveal too much too soon. ^_~ At least, not try to.  
  
Danger Kitties,  
  
Please conitune? You thought that we wouldn't? Um, yeah, okay, so there might be a slight, slight, slight, *slight* chance of that happening . . . .but c'mon! We're having too much fun with this! =)  
  
Terra Tigra and Pan,  
  
@_@ . . . . Another Deidre?! Eeeeek!! No!!!  
  
lol! ^_~ Nah, just kidding. Thank you again for your reviews! And yes, I agree. Anyone who hates Terry Brooks should be disembodied in the middle of a dark forest with a wooden spoon and left for the wolves. . . . . . Sorry, too graphic? Oh well. lol. But did you know that Lunablue hasn't even read the Shannara series? Least not all the way through; I think she's read the first three or so. In any case, only I, DragonStarbo, am the Shannara expert in this fic! Ha ha ha, we fooled ya all! =)~  
  
blakependragon,  
  
*GLOMP!* We love you! *watch blakependragon run off screaming in terror* Um . . . maybe that was a little too friendly . . . We were just trying to thank you. . . (  
  
Chapter Seven: How To Insult the Voice In Your Head for Dummies and A Funeral  
  
* * * *  
  
The sun reached the top of the buildings and with a great push, it shoved itself high above the roof tops, making the city houses warm and cozy. It was the perfect kind of sun for a summer, promising hot weather in the afternoon and a cool, short night. Brinn sprang up from his hay bed almost as soon as he had woken up. With happy energy, he shout, "Let's go to Aunt Wren!" "Gee, where did you come up with that idea?" Lukc said sarcastically. "Last night!"  
  
"Oh, you mean before or after my Dad told us to do that?" "After!" Brinn beamed. With his face in a frozen smile, he becomes aware of how far he had put his foot into his mouth. His face slowly became serious and he mumbled, "You know I'm not a morning person. . ." "It's morning?" Memial's voice drifted threw the hay. Her head poked out of the pile of hay across from the two boys, her hair looking like it was a life form on its own. She squinted into the light, hissed and dove back under the hay light like a small creature finding shelter from a larger predator. A short surprised scream comes from the other side of the stable. It started at the top of the loft and ended with Gok on the ground, saved by a pile of hay that he had wisely moved to that location last night. "Morning, Everybody," he greeted as he picked the hay out of his hair. "Miff oomph me!" Aiken's voice was a muffled shout as his limbs were popped out of the hay that Gok sat on. In a quick move, Gok was off and Aiken's head was surfaced for hair. "What were you doing under there?" Gok raised his eye brows. "Fishing for a needle!" Aiken snapped back. "How 'bout you?" "Falling off the loft," Gok replied causally. "Oh. Yeah, makes sense." "Nooooo!" yet another shout fills the air. Deidre sprang up into a sitting position, "The asparagus are losing!" "Don't worry, it's just a ploy to trick the potatoes into a false sectary while the mushroom people sneak up from behind." Aiken reassured her. Deidre sighed in relief, "Oh, good . . . heyyyyy!!" Deidre exclaims when it dawns on her that Aiken might have been being sarcastic. Maybe.  
  
Walker Boh walks in at that moment, looking like a stolen piece of the night sky against the bright morning. He snapped out orders to the surviving Ohmsford's, because this was a family issue, they were to deal with their parents funerals by themselves.  
  
For the four other teenagers, they got the task of preparing for the journey. When asked why, Walker stated that everyone else will be busy with the funeral and the teenagers couldn't just sit about all day. Well, not in so many words. More like this: "You travel with us, you work with us." He left with the three boys following a step behind, leaving the four teens taken aback by his curt retort. "Um, okay . . ." Deidre half-sighed. "I guess we start to pack . . . but, what do we pack? I've never been on a camping trip before. My parents are too over protective. I can't even sleep over at someone's house! That would be fun. When I turn eighteen, I'm going to sleep for a week at one of my friend's house, and my parents wouldn't be able to yell at me. They yell a lot, especially at me. They get angry about the littlest things and then we get into this huge fight and I ended up in my room, beating the shit out of my pillow. But I try not to kick my pillows butt to much because then it'll get flat quicker and I really don't like flat pillows. Or pillows without feathers in them. Though I always seem to feel sorry for the poor bird who had to lose his feathers so I could have a nice, soft sleeping piece of fluff. My mom and I have fought about that to. We don't fight as badly as my grandparents, though. They fight-" "If they fight as much as you talk, we get the idea," Memial's voice once again entered the scene. This time, though, she stumbled out of the hay with closed eyes and leaned against one of the wooden beams holding up the roof of the stable. "Damn, I don't think I've worked that hard in a long while as I did last night. I'm still sore." "Well, we have more work for us," Aiken shrugged. "Apparently, we're to help pack for the trip." "Help pack for the trip," she spoke in unison with him, nodding. "I heard." ". . . Do you think we're all crazy?" the brown haired boy asked after a moment of hesitation. "Maybe not all of us," she tilted her head to the side, considering the idea. "We were, then we should all have our own separate illusion of our own fantasy worlds. Hmm, I wonder if there's been any reported group hallucinations, with no drugs evolved, of course. . . Hey, speaking of crazy, where's Jez?" It turned out that Jez had woken up after Walker, but before everyone else, a natural clock in her head telling her it was time to get up and get her little sister ready for school. Of course, in this land, she had no little sister and therefore, no responsibly that cut into her sleeping time. With nothing better to do, she decided to wonder the streets. Though she didn't even know this city existed until yesterday, Jez figured that if all else failed, she could ask someone for direction back to the Blue Whisker Inn. Her aimless travels led her to the rich part of this city, where it seemed that the rich had every thing that the other people had, only a better or newer version of it. The very poor streets seemed to be just like those of her home town, run down and full of haggled people. They all were looking for peace, an escape, but only finding more despair and dirt. Now they just look for a dry spot to live. Early in the morning as it was, people were up and about. They were most likely those who owned business or at least worked there and had to prepare for the day. For the most part, they were busy with their own lives, but Jez found they were judgmental, just like everyone else she had ever known. By the look of her clothes, the state of her personal hygiene, and her hair style, people have figured that they know all about her that they need to know. These people did it differently, though. She has noticed two kinds of judging's from people passing by on the streets. The "don't care" and the "long stare." When someone doesn't care, they don't care. They'll still judge, however, just incase that they have to make social contact and need to know how to act around you. A long stare judgment is what it sounds like. People will keep their eyes on you as long as possible and some will even stop just so they could watch you walk away. These people of Varfleet, though, had a other way of judging. It was quick, precise, and done with in a glance. They merely "assess," figure out if you're dangerous or someone to be taken advantage of or to be left alone. Depending on the assessment, they'd keep walking by or change root. Jez found it refreshing to be asset and not judged. Her problem, though, was when she wanted to get back to the alehouse, tired of wondering around. Out of those who would stop and talk to her, not one of them seemed to know what the Blue Whisker Alehouse was, let alone *where* it was. They said they recalled something like it, but there were many alehouses in Varfleet, so they couldn't be accounted for remembering one in particular. Still, from what Jez had gathered, it seemed as if that alehouse was a popular one so one of these drunkard-by-night males had aught to know about it! It wasn't until Jez had backed tracked and was standing right in front of it, across the street, did someone remember the name. "Yeh, ya lil' lass, righ' 'here," the man pointed. He didn't pronounce the "t"s and his grammar needed work, but at least Jez could understand his speech. "Shame, good place for ale and a s'ory. You should've gone 'ere before ye owners lef' for da Shady Vale. I hear is 'heir home." The way the man said it, Jez had to ask, "How long ago?" "Hmm?" the man blinked. "Long ago? Dunno. Mus've been a while, to have Blue Whisker lookin' like a dump. Wai', no. Couldn've been long ago. Jus' las' Friday . . . Eh, I have work." And the man left, hurrying off to one of the many shops in this strange place. Jez wondered about the man's reaction. It was almost as if he wanted to remember or forget, but something was preventing him from doing so, either way. :: Liking Varfleet? :: // Oh, it's you. Why does it seem like you always pop up when things start to suck? // :: Excuse me? :: // Never mind. So, Ash, help me understand something. //  
  
::And what do I get in return?::  
  
// The knowledge that you've done a good deed.//  
  
:: . . . ::  
  
:: Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha!::  
  
// Never mind. How about you'll answer the questions because if you don't I'll start screaming so god damn long and loud an entire bottle of Advil wont get rid of your headache? //  
  
:: Who are you to dare threaten me?! ::  
  
// The voice in your head. The voice, may I remind you, that you're still not sure in fact exists.//  
  
:: What do you mean 'still not sure in fact exists.' Of course you're real, how else could you be in my head? ::  
  
// Perhaps you suffer from schizophrenia? Maybe you have multiple personalities? It could also be drugs, have you taken any hallucinogens lately? You could just be delusional you know. Or perhaps you've hit your head and are now laying in a comma, dreaming this entire conversation up. //  
  
:: And you want to know if * I'm * the one on hallucinogens? Are you sure your not dropping meth? ::  
  
// Yes. This is all one hundred percent me. //  
  
:: My God. ::  
  
// 1) I'm a goddess, not a god. Thank you very much. 2) I belong to no one, let alone you. //  
  
:: All right! All right!! I give up! Just ask your bloody questions already. ::  
  
// Oh yeah. 1 Jez, 0 Ash. Ok, remember our last conversation? You mentioned that the Vo'galth were yours. Well, why the hell did you send the Vo'galth so far into the past just to retrieve a bunch of pathetic high school brats? Barring me, of course. //  
  
:: Of course. ::  
  
:: 'Cause, I was to busy with other important, evil mad genius take over the world type of * stuff * to do it myself. ::  
  
// Uh, huh. Yeah. Ok, now lets translate into I was LAZY. //  
  
:: Wench ::  
  
// Oh, good one! Did you have to go buy 'How to Insult the Voice in Your Head for Dummies' to learn that particular word? //  
  
:: Yeah, your definitely on some sort of drug. ::  
  
// Answer the question. Now, or the screaming starts.//  
  
:: Oh, that's simple. I didn't send the Vo'galth into the past to retrieve the four of you per se. I sent them to go find me four elemental magicks strong enough to aid my cause. ::  
  
// Cause being? //  
  
:: Oh, you know. Little bit of this, little bit of that. Save the planet from the overbearing terrorists who rule through pain and fear. The usual things all of us good, moral, upstanding citizens want. ::  
  
// Yeah, your one of the good guys and my drug dealer is Osama Bin Laden. Feed me another one. //  
  
:: You're not going to go for it? Not even a little tinsy bit? 'Cause if you want, I can change the story around a bit. Play it down a little, perhaps claim the leader of the Elves killed my father and I want revenge? ::  
  
// No, but if it helps any it was a nice try. If you had gotten to us quicker, before the Ohmsford's perhaps, I might have gone for it. //  
  
:: Oh well, it was worth a shot. Don't supposed I could offer you your hearts desire for joining my cause and helping me take over the realm? ::  
  
// Of course you could. You can do anything you want. Doesn't mean I'll go for it, but you can still try. //  
  
:: There is no reasoning with you, is there? ::  
  
// I'm a goddess. I don't reason, I command. //  
  
:: Bitch. ::  
  
// Are we going to start that again? //  
  
:: . . . You do realize that I really did have good intentions for you and the others. If you just ask, I'll come personally and take you to my home, where you can live happily- ::  
  
// Please, save me the bullshit. //  
  
:: For a voice in the head, you are very rude. . . . Stop that! I can feel you smirking! ::  
  
// Keep ordering me around and I'll not only scream, but I'll scream "Frank." //  
  
:: You are impossible. ::  
  
// I know. Now, on to question two. If you're trying to take over the world and the four of us don't agree to help you does that mean you'll try to destroy us? //  
  
:: Will you scream if I say yes? ::  
  
// Yes. //  
  
:: Then no, most certainly not. What kind of monster do you take me for? But if you go against me and try to stop me I'll have to try and stop you from stopping me. You know? Good business policy. Um, you guys aren't going to go and join the good guys are you?::  
  
// Actually, yes, I believe the dream team you dragged me with and their new boyfriends are planning on doing something of the sort. You did try to kill them and murdered their future in-laws you know. //  
  
:: Again, those damned good working ethics come in to play. ::  
  
// Of course, the working ethics. //  
  
:: So * they * plan on trying to find and destroy me. And you? ::  
  
// Plan to go along for the amusement value. Consider me Switzerland //  
  
:: Switzer Land ? ::  
  
// Never mind. Just think of me as a non biased, neutral party with no plans on taking sides. //  
  
:: I see. Tell me, do you plan on telling the others about the Vo'galth belonging to me? ::  
  
// Not if you don't want me to.//  
  
:: Good, please don't. That way I might be able to still trick them into joining me. ::  
  
// Good luck. //  
  
:: Why thank you, but tell me, what is Switzer Land? ::  
  
// A country in my land that's known for being . . . //  
  
Just then one of the people walking past bumped into her by accident. Knocking her out of the trance she'd stood in for the last half hour or so. Blinking a few times her black eyes slowly melted into their usual blue and she saw in front of her the Ale House. Shaking her head as a sudden migraine came on she walked through the broken doors and found that the common room had changed a lot sense the day before. For one, the bodies and blood were gone. Another big change was all of the broken furniture was off to the left while the still intact things were on the right.  
  
"Oh, hey, Jez," Memial stood in one of the doors that was in this room. "Where were you?" When Jez didn't answer, Memial simply shrugged and said, "Well, we've all got the task of preparing for the trip ahead of us. I think we're heading to their aunt's or something. Anyhow, come help us out; we're getting the food ready." The door that Memial stood in led to the kitchen, where Aiken and Deidre were busily searching for whatever it was that they needed. Aiken simply left the things out on the counter in no particular order, while Deidre was much more neat about it and put them back where she found the things. There was a piece of paper that drew Jez's eyes for some reason.  
  
"Oh, that's the list from Brinn. He figured we needed a little help," Memial explained when she saw Jez looking.  
  
"Yeah, hey, where would they put the water?" Aiken asked.  
  
A snort found its way out of Memial. She said, "Why not check in the garage? I'm think they have a second fridge."  
  
Aiken's reply was a little hesitant. "Hey, that's mean! Just because I don't-"  
  
"And neither do I," Memial rolled her eyes, half-way stifling the boy's protest (he was still tried to get his argument out). "For someone who likes dragons so much, I'd imagine that you read a lot of fantasy books, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but still, it was rude of you to interrupt me-"  
  
"In fantasy books," Memial raised her voice just a little bit to talk over Aiken, "they don't have that much science, if at all. So, where else-?"  
  
"A well!" Deidre shouted, excited. "Am I right?"  
  
"Mm-hm," Memial nodded and cocked her head. "Are you a fantasy reader?"  
  
"Well, no, I really don't read a lot. I don't like to read, because I have to look up about ten words on every page."  
  
There was a silent pause and it seemed that everyone leaned towards Deidre to see if she was mumbling.  
  
"Is . . . that it?" Memial asked suspiciously. "No ramblings?"  
  
"Do you. . . want me to ramble?" Deidre asked hesitantly.  
  
"No! No! That's okay. How about you and Aiken get the water?"  
  
"Why me?!" Aiken whined. "Why can't Jez go get it? She hasn't done anything all morning! She hasn't even been here!"  
  
Memial stole a glance at Jez, and then looked back at Aiken. "You want her to go fetch the water, then you tell her."  
  
Aiken decided it was in the best of interest of his life to go with Deidre, quietly, without protest. In his tired state, he had looked over the perk of this chore: He'll get to spend some time a lone with Deidre! The girl was the only one who knew him for a long time and she seemed to be the only that he could contact with in this crazy land.  
  
"Hey, what do you think of this place?" Aiken asked. "I mean, do you think it's real?"  
  
"Yeah. I beat some evil creature to death and walked for three hours none stop. I never get tired in dreams," Deidre answered truthfully. "Of course, there was one time where I woke up tired. I don't know why. I think it was because I was kicking and moving in my sleep a lot and that's what made me wake up tired. My little sister said that she didn't feel me in the night, though. We share a bed together because our house is so small and so many people live in it. I'm suppose to share my room with my grandma, but it's already too cramped with me and my sister . . ."  
  
And Aiken listened on as Deidre complained about her home life and would randomly go off to some other topic. It took two long paragraphs, but they finally found the well and drew the water from it. Carrying it back in the buckets left out there, Deidre had started to tell Aiken about her new teacher Mr. Robb and how he seemed a little odd.  
  
The day was already becoming hot, though Aiken believed that it couldn't have been past ten. It was funny, but here, it was summer and in California, it was almost winter. Maybe they not only traveled in time, but in distant, too. Aiken pondered this as Deidre decided to start telling him about how strawberries are much better than cherries.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"That's deep enough," Walker assured the boys.  
  
It was the mid-morning on this very cold summer's day. True, the sun was warming up the world and child ran about happily, but no happiness touched him or his nephews. It was a cold summer's day indeed. Walker knew that this day would come, that he would have to deal with their deaths one way or another.  
  
It felt so unnatural. He was older than them by many years. He should be the one in the earth, thinking no more of the next day's work and getting ready for the next life. Yes, he should be there, not Par or Coll or their wives. It was never just for a Druid, however, and Walker took what little comfort he could and where he could find it.  
  
But where would the boys find their comforts? They were boys after all. They had been pushed roughly into the lives of adults and can never again be care-free, but they didn't know the first thing about the depths of that. He did his best to be their foundation, something to stand upon, but he felt like the raindrops, small and weak compared to the giant ground they end their lives on.  
  
"Okay, Uncle Dark," Brinn sniffled. "They're ready."  
  
Walker flittered his hand threw the thick, dark robes of his, not even feeling the hot sun on him. With a few quick turns of the wrist, he had the bodies of the Ohmsford adults in the ground. It was the sons who should put the parents into the ground, but after Gok's little show last night, Walker knew this way was better for everyone.  
  
They quickly covered the bodies with the dirt they had dug up and within the hour, the graves were nearly invisible. The three boys wiped their eyes and noses to rid themselves of the sadness that dried itself into their skin, keeping their faces in a constant twisted state.  
  
"Should we say something?" Lukc asked.  
  
"I'm going miss them," Brinn said in a voice thick with emotions. "Life's never going to be the same now."  
  
"I use to always wonder off," Gok picked up the slack. "I'd go everywhere around this city, but my favorite part was when I could open the back door to the kitchen and hear Mom ask me for some help or inquire about my day."  
  
"My dad," Lukc took his turn, "was going to teach me how to follow foot prints and know whose they are and how old they are, like the Trackers. We had planned for this weekend, but now I'll never be able to spend that time with him."  
  
"Come," Walker said more in a pleading tone than a demand. "Lukc, Gok, Brinn, we must go to Queen Wren and tell her the news."  
  
They all left the unmarked graves, but something didn't feel right to Brinn. He looked back and saw that only the tiny mounds of dirt showed where his parents and uncle and aunt laid. These were the people that saved the Four Lands, and for them to die like this was . . . horrible. They needed something to be remembered by other than the stories.  
  
"Brinn?" Walker stopped and turned around. "Brinn, come along."  
  
But Brinn just stood there and began to hum. It was very low and sounded almost like a bee buzzing by. He opened his mouth and a soft wail wisped along the winds, landing ever so softly, a kiss of breath, on the freshly dug up dirt. Like a painting being drawn, four green stems from the ground in unison. Deep red, that of compassion, roses bloomed on the stems' tops, perfect, sweet and ever lasting.  
  
It wasn't a moment before Brinn heard Lukc's song join his, adding the dream like state that held their beauty, almost like a story being told to the traveling strangers. And Gok, though his wishsong was only of illusions, he gave the feeling that no one should pick these wonderful roses for their selfish reasons. After all, a rose can only grow when not plucked of life.  
  
The three boys at one, turned and left the last goodbye hanging in the air and growing from the ground.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Ow! You fucking bit me, you wench!" Aiken cried at the top of his lungs, treating to the wall as he grasped his upper arm in pain. A little warm liquid found its way threw his fingers and he looked down in shock. "Holly fucking Mother Christ, I'm bleeding! You little fucking bitch!"  
  
"What's going on?" Memial entered with a bundled of clothes in her hands, Deidre close behind.  
  
"Jez bit me! She just leaned over and took a chunk of my skin!" Aiken screeched.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Like, how the hell should I know!"  
  
Memial looked over at a very smug Jez and asked, "Why?"  
  
Jez, of course, liked to keep those around her baffled. She merely kept on smiling.  
  
Memial sighed and said to Aiken, "She bit you because you were there. Next time, keep your defense up."  
  
"I was!" Aiken protested, but it was ignored as Memial and Deidre went through the clothing they had brought down from the rooms.  
  
They picked the cleanest and lightest colored ones that they could find, but nothing white or baby blue by request of Brinn. In the end, they had a few different outfits for the boys, including one nice one for when they met up with their aunt. Brinn's writing was very quick and jerky, as if he didn't want to write it, but he put down that the girls could go threw his aunt's and mother's clothes to find some woman clothing, but they should pack for hard, long hikes. And Aiken could get his clothes from Brinn's father and uncle's wardrobe.  
  
Deidre at first wanted to wear nothing but dresses, but Memial had pointed out that they wouldn't be going to the mall, so a dress might not be the most practical. In the end, Deidre had one dress and the rest were pants and tunics. Memial had skated around the dresses by finding a very nice tunic and pants that would work just as well. Jez was in and out so fast Memial wasn't even sure she'd been there.  
  
"Damn, I don't fit any of these!" Aiken mumbled to himself. He was trying on Par and Coll's clothes and found out that they were too tall or too small for him. He ended up wearing Coll's working clothes from a few years past. They were still baggy, but at least he wasn't lost in the folds of it. Brown leather boots, green pants, and a brown tunic made up his out fit. He had packed a few more similar to it. "What's keeping the girls so long? Girls are so horrible when it comes to clothes, I swear!"  
  
He went back down stairs and found the three had already finished their packing and were making sure they had everything needed. The very first girl he noticed was Deidre. She had on a black, knee-high boots that covered half of her green pants, as they were semi-covered by a baggy, mint- green tunic that made her dark hair, eyes, and completion stand out even more.  
  
"Well, about time you got done," Memial mumbled. "You're as bad as a stereotype woman."  
  
Aiken blushed at the comment, being reminded of his earlier remark about females being so horrible when it comes to clothes. "Nothing fit me." He grumbled while checking out Memial's and Jez's attire.  
  
Memial looked like a piece of Godiva cherry filled chocolate with her dark brown boots that went up to mid calf, matching colored pants and light brown tunic which she'd stuffed into her pants. Her bushy red hair was left lose to fiend for itself against the poor, unsuspecting twigs.  
  
"Um, Memial. Not to freak you or anything," Deidre burst out suddenly, " But have you noticed that after doing that water thing-of-a-magig-that- we're-kinda-sorta-pretending-didn't-happen-'cause-then-maybe-it'll-go-away your hair changed color?"  
  
A look of puzzlement crossed Memial's face, then she grabbed a lock of her hair and held it up in front of her eyes. After a few moments of staring she flicked her hair back and shrugged nonchalantly. "Nope."  
  
"Ookay then."  
  
Jez was wearing black boots up to the mid of her thighs, black trousers, and a dark green tunic was tied off into a knot at her waist. Her blond hair was up in a lose bun.  
  
"They don't have much in the way of style, do they?" Aiken asked. "I mean, pants, tunics . . ."  
  
"I'm sure they do," Memial shrugged. "But most likely, these guy's lives were filled with work and so didn't have that much time to pay attention to their wardrobes. Why would you care, male?"  
  
The sarcastic note her voice had Aiken sneering a "cht" sound before stomping the last few yards to the girls.  
  
"Actually," Deidre started, "you'd think they had some kind of fashion, this being an alehouse and all. I mean, people come in to get drunk, and probably some action - not that this is that kind of place. But still, they'd probably have something to appeal to the crowds. Had to be something more than just pants, tunics, tunics, pants, tunics, pants, pants, pants, tunics, pants, tunics. . . Maybe they had a uniform that was flashy or bright colored or -"  
  
To the grateful ears of everyone, the Ohmsford boys and Walker Boh had come in at that moment. There were very few words exchanged between them and in fifteen minutes, they were out of the alehouse and on their way towards Arborlon, the city that their aunt rules from. Not much was said, as the four teenagers from the past learned from earlier on that this wasn't going to be a fun time. It was set at power walk pace and before long, they found themselves just concentrating on breathing. All that is, except Jez and Walker Boh, the first didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat and the other was striding along, lost in his own world of gloom and frowns.  
  
The day wore on, time slipping by like the wind. The mountains they passed through soon became the flat land that laid next to a river. In the much smoother ground, they quickened their pace and were at Kennon Pass just before the sunset. The teenagers made their beds (rolled out blankets and packs for pillows) but Walker stood alone with Tempo.  
  
"I must leave you now."  
  
"What?" the three Ohmsford boys asked in unison.  
  
"But, you can't go. Not now," Lukc protested.  
  
"What are we going to do without you?" Gok added.  
  
"You are going to go to your aunt's," Walker answered simply. "Go there, inform her of the fates of Par and Coll. Get the Elf stones and any information you can."  
  
"What will you do?" Brinn questioned.  
  
"I will search for answers and meet with you again at your aunts." was all Walker said before he mounted Tempo and rode off into the mountains.  
  
"Be quiet," Walker hissed to Tempo when the horse had given a snort of protest. "Those boys will have me linger forever if I didn't leave then."  
  
//Well, there goes the only adult in this group,// Aiken shrugged. "So, what's for dinner?"  
  
"You." Said Jez sweetly and with an amount of seriousness scary enough to have him running for the dubious protection found behind Deirdre's small frame.  
  
They all had bread and dried meat in silence and soon drifted off to sleep, too tired or wrapped up in their own thoughts for much conversation. Before long, the stars watched over the sleeping seven. 


	8. Deidre’s got a stick and we’re Twenty Th...

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Alone, was written by Edgar Allan Poe and belongs to him. We stake no claim of ownership, we simply borrowed it for this chapter. Don't sue. Please. Trickle Drops, was written by Walt Whitman and belongs to him. We stake no claim of ownership, we simply borrowed it for this chapter.  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
For the record, I (Lunablue) would like to make it clear that I have read exactly * one * Shannara book. Yes, shame on me. Thankfully for the rest of you, DragonStarbo has read the entire series, absorbed it, dreamed it, breathed it, ate it, and slept with it. I depend on her for the accuracy and she depends on me for the insanity. That and my terrific beta abilities.  
  
Oh, and ' baka ' is Japanese for idiot or moron.  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
DragonStarbo: *looks around frantically* What? Just one review this time?! Ah, c'mon, that's not fair!  
  
Lunablue: Shut up, Baka. At least we HAVE a review.  
  
DragonStarbo: *whines* But, I'm bored!  
  
Lunablue: *sighs* Then go dangle off a tree by your ankles.  
  
DragonStarbo: *perks up, runs off to the closest tree with a piece of rope*  
  
Lunablue: O_o;; Anyhow . . . Thank you, Terra, for your review. Even though my friend didn't seem appreciative, she is.  
  
DragonStarbo: *dangling from the tree with a rope attached to her ankle and a limb of the tree* Hehehehe, the asparagus are funny, aren't they?  
  
Lunablue: . . . . How much sugar did you have this morning, Starbo?  
  
DragonStarbo: Um . . . *starts to swing back and forth* Well, there wasn't any milk, so I ate a few of the Thin Mint cookies and then someone brought donuts to school and I had some Starburst from yesterday . . . I think that's it, for now.  
  
Lunablue: Yep, you're too hyper to answer the review.  
  
DragonStarbo: *gasp!* Am not! *dissolves into a fit of giggles*  
  
Lunablue: Ignore her. *walks a few steps away* Terra, you should suppress Pan like that. Voices in the head are entertaining. Isn't that right, Ash?  
  
::Go away, I'm still sulking.::  
  
Lunablue: Awe, but you're so cute when you're mad!  
  
:: . . . I'm going to kill you one of these days.::  
  
DragonStarbo: Not before you and her -  
  
Lunablue: Say it and I'll choke you with that rope!  
  
::What? What was she going to say?::  
  
DragonStarbo: *giggles* The rope isn't long enough.  
  
Lunablue: *glares* I'll make it long enough.  
  
DragonStarbo: *stops laughing and stares* . . . . . . . You know, in the story, you're the crazy and I'm the sane one. Did we switch roles today or something?  
  
Lunablue: No, you're just hyper. I still have the voices in my head.  
  
::I am NOT a voice in your head!::  
  
DragonStarbo: Hey, Terra, please forgive us for killing Par and Coll. I'm really sad that they had to go, but Lunablue would've left them for the Vultures if given her way. At least they got some kind of a funeral! . . . Oh! And I'm nearly done with the Voyage of Jerle Shannara: the Morgawr! After that, all I have to do is read the First King of Shannara and I'll have read them all! Yay me!  
  
Lunablue: I think that's all we have to say-  
  
DragonStarbo: Nope-nope! Let all those who hate Terry Brooks die a squealing death as maggots feed on their flesh while all of the five-year- old, half-baked songs play in the back ground! Whahahahahahahahahahaha- *rope comes undone, falls flat on face* Owe!  
  
Lunablue: While I take my friend to the mental ward at the hospitable, please review and tell us what you think.  
  
Chapter Eight: Deidre's got a stick and we're Twenty Three Batteries short of a Two pack.  
  
* * * *  
  
Hundreds of miles away from the resting figures of our hero's stood Ash Midnight in a circle of power, deep in the dungeons of his keep. His eyes, green like a cats, glowed with an inner fire as his hands traced arcane symbols in the air, fresh blood from the dead infant at his feet still dripping warm from his fingertips.  
  
" Ashnaca. Sahlaygah. Gorshi. " His dry voice hissed.  
  
An invisible wind moved his rich blonde hair.  
  
"Fly to them, my servants, fly to them, my Vo'galth. Race to them, my pets, race to them, my Blood Wolves. Bring them to me!"  
  
With a primal scream he let lose the power of his blood circle, summoning his minions from the dead earth surrounding his keep, sending them forth to do his bidding. His blood raced with them through the night, towards the unsuspecting teens, towards Jez.  
  
As if the very thought of her was a summoning spell, Ash's head was filled with the heady smell of warm vanilla and green apples, Jez's thoughts whispering through his mind. Apparently , the infuriating puzzle was laying on the ground, staring at the stars and thinking, of all the absurd things, about a poem.  
From childhood's hour I have not been  
  
As others were - I have not seen As others saw - I could not bring My passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken My sorrow; I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tune; And all I lov'd, I lov'd alone. Then - In my childhood - In the dawn Of a most stormy life- was drawn From ev'ry depth of good and ill The mystery which binds me still: From the torrent, or the fountain, From the red cliff of the mountain, From the sun that 'round me roll'd In its autumn tint of gold -  
  
From the lightning in the sky  
  
As it pass'd me flying by - From the thunder and the storm, And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view.  
  
:: Beautiful. Who wrote it?::  
  
Instead of making a fuss about his being in her head and not letting her know it she just responded as if it was normal for strange voices to pop up in her skull, which for her, it might have been.  
  
// Edgar Allan Poe. He's one of my favorite poets. That poem was titled ' Alone '. //  
  
:: Ah, I've never heard of him. But then, he's from your time, so how could I have?::  
  
For a few moments a comfortable silence fell between them.  
  
// So what has you up at this lovely dark hour? //  
  
:: Just the usual, summoning evil minions to do my dastardly deeds, casting dark arcane magick spells. You get the drift. ::  
  
// I see, and I don't suppose you would be oh so kind enough to warn me if any of those evil minions, dark spells or dastardly deeds is going to be directly effecting my sleep? //  
  
:: Well I suppose I could warm you about the five Vo'galth and three Blood Wolves I've sent to capture your party, but then what kind of evil overlord would I be? ::  
  
// The kind whose smart enough to know his health and my happiness are directly proportional to one another? //  
  
:: Exactly. Not that I care, because you know, I'm your master and all that. ::  
  
// Exactly, us slaves are defiantly not on your 'need to know about evil deeds committed' list. //  
  
:: Defiantly. ::  
  
//So, how long before I can start expecting these minions of yours, you know, the ones I know nothing about? //  
  
:: They aren't due to arrive for at least an hour, maybe two. But in the mean time, I don't suppose you've memorized any other poems by this Edgar Allan Poe? ::  
  
// No, but if you care to hear them, I know some other good ones. //  
  
:: I would like that, very much::  
  
// Well, there's this one called ' Trickle Drops ' by Walt Whitman . . . / /  
* * *  
The earth shook and quivered as five, glowing green henchmen of doom landed from the heavens, carrying darkness on their wings and blotting out the moons light. Howls ripped through the air as three Blood Wolves raced across the ground, circling the campsite, obeying their winged masters silent commands.  
  
Deidre was the first to awake, screaming. "They're here! They're attacking! Beware the Potatoes!"  
  
Jumping up, wide awake with adrenaline, Memial saw the Vo'galth and Blood Wolves. "Idiot! It's the Vo'galth, not the Potatoes! Run!"  
  
By now Brinn, Gok, Lukc and Jez were awake as well.  
  
And then there was no time for anything else for the Vo'galth were upon them and the Blood Wolves were circling the campsite, making sure no prey escaped. Their empty eye sockets starring strait towards their masters kill, seeing but not seeing. Their burgundy color fur was sleeked back smooth over their huge, bear sized bodies.  
  
"What are those!?" Brinn and Memial shouted at the same time.  
  
One of the Blood Wolves bit at a fallen tree limb playfully, but its teeth pierced straight threw the double-arm sized branch, splitting it in two. It gave off a deformed whine and opened its thin-line mouth in a twisted smile.  
  
"They're dangerous," Lukc answered. "What else do you want to know?"  
  
"If they fear fire," Gok mumbled and sung a song he had learned as a little boy, one that was for protection against the wild animals.  
  
It started out as just a thin trail of smoke in some bushes, but soon a little spark was seen from it. Not before long, there was a flame that grew into the fire, surrounding the Blood Wolves and Vo'galth. The creatures hissed at the heat and orange light flickering in front of them like Rover dancers.  
  
"I thought Gok couldn't make things real," Brinn whispered to Lukc, who stood next to him with a hopeful glint in his eyes.  
  
"No, but he can make the illusion that it is real," Lukc smiled almost proudly at his brother.  
  
However, this momentary peace was ended abruptly as one of the impatient Blood Wolves leaped threw the fire with a howl. Gok missed his next note in surprise and the fire disappeared, giving way for the Vo'galth to come attack.  
  
"C'mon, guys, we can take them!" Brinn reassured. "There was at least twenty last time!"  
  
"Yeah . . . but last time Memial had use her power-water-thingy . . ." Deidre pointed out and edged away from the purposely-slow advancing Vo'galth.  
  
"Hey, she's not the only one with powers," Brinn scoffed. He gave his own song of fire, a lower pitch than Gok's. Once more, fire was dancing a fierce dance, but this time it was only around the Blood Wolf that had jumped forward.  
  
The wolf grinned almost giddy-like and ju - and screamed in rage and pain as it caught fire. This fire was real, as the burning alive Blood Wolf soon found out. Rolling around in pain and anguish, it tried to save itself, but the flames in closed him, towering walls of intense heat.  
  
In the final scream of life, Brinn ended his song, taking away the fire. The Blood Wolf's body was mangled and brunt to black, some peaces of the skin missing to show twitching muscles and black bones. Its eyeless sockets, mouth, and any other openings upon its body were pumping green blood with the last shaking breaths of this creatures life. It gave a insignificant whine with its last exhaust of breath.  
  
The Vo'galth had stopped. The Blood Wolves had stopped. The teenagers had stopped. Everything was frozen in a timeless moment, to be forever remembered in the minds of all that lived through this battle. Every sound, taste, and smell was engraved into their memories, clear as glass.  
  
The moment ended when the Blood Wolf disappeared from the earth. One moment it was there, the next there was nothing but the charred earth. The Vo'galth and Blood Wolves screamed together incoherently, though they all seemed to say one thing: Revenge. "Shades!" was all that could be said from Brinn as the creatures came flying towards them, enraged and claws extended like cats ready to strike.  
  
They spread out, taking one or the other teenager on. A Blood Wolf seemed to be very intent on carrying out the revenge on Brinn. Brinn gulped down some air of defiance and started his song again. But no sooner than did he get the first note out that he found blood spewing from his jaw. The Blood Wolf had "scraped" the left side of his jaw; it felt more like knives were taken to it, causing waves of pain and blood to flow through it.  
  
Brinn clenched his teeth in refusal to scream, stumbling away, unable to bring up his magical voice - probably the only thing that stood a chance against this creature. Dizzy in pain, Brinn hadn't realized where he was headed; his primal instincts overriding him and telling him to run as far and fast as he could.  
  
"Die!" Memial shouted as she pulled the sword out of her diagonal, spine sheath and swung it at the beast who was about to slaughter Brinn. The sword that she carried was from the alehouse, though she didn't know who it used to belong to. She just thought it would be useful in their travels, if she had time to learn how to use it. Right now, swinging it wildly at the toothy wolf (or whatever other thing she wanted to butcher) she wanted to attack seemed to work.  
  
Gok and Lukc stood back to back, swords at the read, as two particularly ugly Vo'galth circled them menacingly. Knowing they were both out numbered but desperate to not go down with out a fight, they raised their swords and gave the loudest screams they could muster while charging strait towards the surprised Vo'galths. The Vo'galths was so surprised that they just stood there in shock as Gok and Lukc slammed their swords into their bodies, Lukc taking the one on the left and Brinn taking the one on the right.  
  
Deidre stood there, still semi convinced that it was the potatoes attacking, not the Vo'galth. The remaining two Blood Wolves sat in front of her, growling but not making any overt movies of attack. So she stood there, trembling, forced to watch as Gok and Lukc got their asses kicked, Brinn bleed to death and Memial whack her sword on the Vo'galth that hurt Brinn. ' Hey, where's Aiken and Jez? ' Turning to her right Deidre saw the remaining two Vo'galth circle something that lay still as death between them, something still as death that looked suspiciously like Aiken. ' Oh god, they've hurt him! They've hurt him!!! THEY'VE HURT HIM!!!!!!'  
  
The thought of her dearest friend being harmed by the foul monsters made Deidre tremble, with rage. The anger washed through her like a tidal wave, an anger she'd never felt before, stronger than the one that over took her when she had killed the Vo'galth. Deidre saw red, the color of the blood she wanted to spill. Her anger grew, to unimagined heights, the screams of pain, fear and battle lust being ripped from her friends throats the background music to the dance of death growing in her veins. The furry grew until her eyesight disappeared, replaced by a strange, soothing cream white. Almost like whip cream or abalone shell.  
  
Her body seemed to become unreal, like mist, and out of the depths of her soul a tornado of wind ripped outwards taking her skin with it. For one shinning moment the she was nowhere and everywhere, then the tornado came tearing back inside her. Deidre see again and what had felt like an eternity, the change must have taken only a few precious seconds. Her skin felt different though, instead of the tornado disappearing it was very much there, being held back only by her flesh. She could feel with a sense she had never known existed before. She felt the creamy smooth skin of Aikens cheeks, she felt the warm red blood poor down from Brinn's jaw, she felt the clouds above her racing along, she felt the feathers of a falcon hundreds of miles away as it flew to it's mate, she felt the leaves on the tree's and the hairy spiders on the ground. And she felt sticks. She felt everything everywhere and suddenly knew, just knew, how to save her Aiken. ' How ironic. ' was her last sane thought before the magick over rode her conscious mind and instinct took over.  
  
Thrusting her hands up she clenched them into fists, as her mind find every stray stick and twig and piece of wood in the a one mile radius. Her mind 'solidified' the air around the sticks somehow, using the very wind to grab them and throw them, racing towards her enemies. Thousands of pieces of wood, ranging from splinters to 15 foot long logs, streamed towards the Vo'galth and Blood Wolves, slamming into them with like smooth knives. It only took a minute to riddle the Blood Wolves and Vo'galth with sticks. Then the lifeless monsters collapsed to the ground, the inky darkness fading away to normal night darkness as they collapsed, the blood wolves fading into the earth and the Vo'galth just laying there like so much dead meat.  
  
Deidre followed them to the ground, unconscious.  
* * *  
As the last Vo'galth collapsed Memial saw her new friend drop to the ground in a heap.  
  
"Deidre!"  
  
She was running towards the smaller girl before being aware of making the decision, frantic with worry over her friends health. Lukc and Gok raced towards Brinn, whose body lay on the ground surrounded by blood.  
  
:: You know, you should try raising more efficient minions next time. ::  
  
// I'll take it under consideration. //  
  
' Oh not another one, please I * can't * lose another one, please, oh please, oh not another one * please * ' Gok prayed desperately as he and his brother ran towards their cousin. Collapsing on their knees on either side of Brinn, they barely noticed their hands get sticky with blood as they struggled to turn Brinn's bulky form onto his back.  
  
Brinn's should length, rust brown hair was matted down in his own blood and knotted beyond belief. With a final ' omf ' Lukc was able to push Brinn onto his back, where he and Gok were treated to the sight of their life. There wasn't a scratch on him. All the blood lay around him, so much that Gok just knew Brinn's main artery had to have been pierced, but there wasn't a single mark on him.  
  
Blinking his grass green eyes, Brinn let out a moan and slowly sat up as Lukc and Gok stared at him in shock. Placing one large hand on the back of his head, he moaned again as his surroundings slowly came into focus. "Oh, my poor head. I haven't had a headache like this since, never."  
  
That was when Brinn got pounced upon by Gok. " Your alive! Your ALIVE! I thought I was going to lose you like mum and dad and aunt and uncle but I didn't 'cause YOUR ALIVE!!"  
  
Gok clung to his cousin with fervor, even when Lukc tried to pull him off and Brinn started turning a lovely shade of black blue. "Gok - cant' - breathe - stop - chocking - me!"  
  
"Oh, sorry," Gok said as he reluctantly pulled back from his cousin. "but your alive!" Only Lukc's arms kept Gok back as he once again tried to launch himself at Brinn.  
  
Slowly standing up, Brinn looked around at all the dead Vo'galth before his eyes landed on Memial and Deidre. "The girls!" All headaches disappeared with the a rush of adrenaline as he ran towards his two new friends, Gok and Lukc right behind.  
  
When they got there Memial was helping Deidre into a standing position. "Are you girls," pant, pant , pant, " alright? Did you get hurt?" Gok asked.  
  
"Don't worry," Memial responded "we're fine. Nice to see the three of you are alive. And nice healing powers Brinn! But. . ." Just then Deidre interrupted Memial with a scream and then it was her turn to dash off in worry. "Aiken!"  
  
"Here we go again." Mumbled Lukc as they all took off after Deidre. They arrived just in time to pull a screaming Deidre off a confused Aiken who was currently getting his ribs kicked in.  
  
"You bastard!" she was screaming with anger. "You absolute asshole! You had me so worried you stupid idiot! I'm going to kill you!" Deidre was desperately clawing the air, trying to get out of Memial and Brinn's strong arms. " I thought you were DEAD! Oh, I'm gong to make you wish you were! I'm going to rip out your spleen and feed it to the flies! I'm going to. . ."  
  
"Hey!" interrupted Aiken. " Where did all the dead creepy crawlies come from?"  
  
That one innocent question seemed to take the wind out of Deidre's sails and she half collapsed, half slid to the ground, laughing and sobbing at the same time. "Asleep! He slept through out the whole bloody fight!" And then she just kind of huddled there shaking as a concerned and bewildered Aiken stood there, alternating looking at Deidre to looking at his new companions. "There was a fight?"  
  
Everyone just stood there, and stared. "You idiot." Brinn finally whispered with a shake of his head. Memial who was helping Deidre to calm down and stand up, commented. "You know Aiken-baka, if this was a manga or anime, we'd have all drowned in sweet drops right now."  
  
A bright red blush was creeping across Aikens face, making him glow like a tomato. Hesitantly, he turned towards Deidre. "Did you get hurt?" Deidre just shook her head rapidly and said, "I'm not talking to you asshole." Before turning her back to him and crossing her arms stubbornly. Not that it did much except increase her image as pixyish. That was when Gok noticed it. "Deidre, um, have I gotten taller, or are you shorter?"  
  
Turning around in outrage, Deidre went to poke a finger in Gok's chest for daring to make fun of her at time like this, when she to noticed it. Were as before her head came up to his shoulders, she was now at eye level with his belly button. Turning slowly she stared at everyone. "Oh my god, you've all grown like, a foot!"  
  
"No," Memial said "you've shrunk, majorly. You can't be more than four foot five now. Wait a minute! I've got it! You know how when I did that magick thing with the water? And this time you did that magick thing with the sticks flying, and when I did it my hair turned this really weird read color, and now you've done some weird magickal thing and then you shrank. Maybe having something physical happen to you is like, a side effect of the magick!" Memial was practically jumping up and down with excitement at how smart she'd just been. "It makes sense." Agreed Lukc.  
  
"But that's now fair! Memial gets a cool new hair color and I shrink?!"  
  
"Hey, that's the digs, besides, how am I going to explain my new hair color to my Dad when we get back? But don't worry, being short makes you look more innocent, and the more innocent you look the more lenient the bad guys are going to be with you. I'd have preferred going short to the new candy cherry hair color thing any day."  
  
"Yeah, well, your new hair color can be explained away with hair dye. How am I supposed to explain to Uncle Bo losing five inches!?"  
  
A new voice joined the conversation, coming from above them in the tree they were standing under. "Don't worry Deidre, most likely you'll be dead by the time the rest of us get to go home, so you'll not have to worry about explaining the dwarf problem to your Uncle Bo. But hey, if by some miracle you do make it home, he'll just be ever so happy you don't have to get on your knees to give him head anymore, that he wont care how it occurred. Though the height difference will make missionary position a bit more uncomfortable for you now. . .but hey! All's fair in incest and war!"  
  
Deidre just stared up at Jez in shock, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "You are a real god damned bitch Jez, you know that?" Memial said up to the blonde girl, who was sitting in a tree branch above them.  
  
"God damned? Honey, the state of my immortal soul is between the darkness and myself, I highly doubt you would know anything about how or who or why it was damned. Now, if all you dumb shits are done jabbering away I would suggest we get out of here before scavengers come for the free dead meat, and the big scary predators come to eat the scavengers." Then Jez jumped down from her branch. "Unless, of course, Aiken would like to go back to sleep?"  
  
Brinn took a threatening step towards Jez, but stopped when Memial placed her arm into his chest. "As much as it pains me to admit it, Jez is right. We need to get out of here before the free meat starts attracting more attention than we want at the moment." Then, turning to said blonde, Memial stepped up close until their noses were almost touching. "But don't even think this is over, got that?"  
  
Instead of responding Jez stood there and stared a moment, before cocking her head to the side and closing her eyes, as if listening to things no one else could hear. When her eyes opened again Memial got a brief glimpse of blackness as it swirled back into Jez's pupils. "Got, get, grabbed. Memial is just a little lamb whose teeth were sharp as knifes. Beware or she shall eat you." Then Jez smiled the smile of innocent children and cotton candy and Christmas morning before walking away, her travel pack already strung over one shoulder.  
  
A look of confusion mixed with fear was etched on Memial's face as she turned to look at the others. The six of them stood there just starting at each other until Aiken broke the silence. "She's nuts."  
  
"Definitely." "Oh yeah." "Insane." "What was your first hint?" "Twenty Three batteries short of a Two pack."  
  
At that last comment everyone turned to Deidre.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Uh," stuttered Deidre. "That's what my Uncle Bo says whenever I'm acting crazy. Though I don't see how he could say that I act crazy 'cause I am definitely not as crazy as Jez. Yeah, compared to her I look sane as a cookie, not that, cookies are sane you know, 'cause then the cookie would have to be a sentient being and cookies cant be sentient beings. What if cookies are sentient though? What if this whole time we've been eating them and now we've just discovered that they have feelings just like us? What if. . ."  
  
"Lets go catch up with Jez before a mountain lion or something comes along." Memial interjected in a desperate attempt to shut Deidre up. Then they were all walking forward, away from the dead enemies, battered, bruised, scared, rambling and shorter than ever before. But alive. Then Aiken had an idea that he knew would have to make everyone pause and think for a second.  
  
"Am I the only one that's noticed we're playing follow the leader, and the leaders a anonymously agreed psychotic? What does that say about the rest of our intellects" 


	9. Impromtu Eminem Interlude

Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara  
  
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )  
  
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.  
  
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.  
  
Some of this chapter contains extreme violence and disturbing ideas that may be nauseating and extremely offensive to the weak of heart. You have been warned. If such things disturb you it is not necessary to read this chapter as it will not actively pertain to the main story but is instead a sort of spin off flashback.  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.  
  
It has come to our attention that some people feel our story is rated to lightly, that we should have it rated it R . Trust us, what we have written so far is * not * our version of R. Since said certain people have threatened to report us to fanfiction.net and have our story removed, we shall comply with their terrorist threats by changing the rating to R . But if we're going to change the rating, then we're going to make damn fucking sure that it's truly a R rated story. So if you found our content or language annoying or offensive before. . . fuck off and stop reading now.  
  
DragonStarbo's Notes: I'd like to make it clear that I had nothing to do with chapter. Well, what I mean is that Lunablue stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, writing this chapter fueled by the little comment that StarShanLOTRfan made. Whoever said that flames weren't good? ^^^ See, StarShan, you accutally did us a favor by adding to our imaginations, as stated before. Thank you very much.  
  
Reviewers Response:  
  
StarShanLOTRfan : No, that was PG- 13, * this * is rated R.  
  
Tigga Terra : My Ash!! MY MY MY ASH!! You cant have him! :: selfish clings is chibi body to her chest and frolics away:: Actually, your comment about us having something going on is. . . interesting. Lets just say that if I told you anymore about the social developments between characters I'd have to kill you for knowing too much.  
  
Danger Kitties: LoL. Well, we've updated. We're so glad you loved the last two chapters, we loved writing them. Except, when we were writing them I distinctly recall being anger and vexed with them because the stupid muses always came around one in the morning. Next time threaten your little brother with the Potatoes coming after him in his sleep. You don't have to worry about sanity, it's something highly overrated anyways.  
  
Sora Potter: We missed you!!! Thanks for reviewing again, DracoStarbo was getting worried. So, still a big Doctor Pepper fan?  
  
4 Reviews for 1 chapter!!!! Yeah, a new personal Shannara record!!!!  
  
Dedication: For all of the readers out there who find this story obscene and annoying. We are truly honored you felt our little story was infuriating enough to use some of your precious time to jab pathetic attempts at insults and threats our way. Thank you. Please, keep the flames rolling in, they feed our perverted imaginations.  
  
Chapter Nine: An Impromptu Eminem Interlude  
  
* * * *  
  
3 months earlier. . .  
  
Memial was walking down Wren St., a double scoop cone of her favorite ice cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, in one hand, and her CD player in the other. Out of her headphones blared her favorite new song, Dolly Partons Yellow Roses. The hot sun blared down on her skin, which combined with the heat, causing a dewy sweat to trickle down her tanned legs and drip along her chest into the scarlet tank top she wore.  
  
The temperature was a 119 degrees, an unusual temperature for November. But that was ok with Memial, because everything was going good. Her Dad had bought them tickets to the San Francisco Giants game later that night, Christmas Vacation was just around the corner, she wasn't flunking Chemistry. . .who cares about something as unimportant as the temperature being eighty or so degrees hotter than normal? 'Yes,' Memial decided, her head giving a nod of agreement. "life is definitely good right now.'  
  
And that's when her batteries died.  
  
'Noooooooooo!'  
  
Despair crashed through Memial like a drunk behind the driving wheel. A strange look from the group of little kids passing by her, who then pursued their destination a bit more quickly, made Memial wonder for a second if she had said that out loud.  
  
A squeal of laughter from some anonymous and invisible kids, followed by the distinct sound of someone belly flopping into a pool, washed away her despair as quickly as it had come. ' That's right Memial girl, our happiness is not dependent upon the stupid CD player. Remember what you were thinking just moments ago? Life, is good.' And with another nod of agreement from her head she was taking the headphones off and shoving the music player in her backpack.  
  
With a flip of her long, shiny brown hair she was off again. Simply taking in the surroundings, something she'd grown to miss after spending so much of her outside life protected and hidden by the addictive music transporter.  
  
Above her head the sea gulls soared quietly, seeking their next grease fried meal. A lovely chronologically gifted couple walked by, nodding their heads at her with the respect only those from the earlier 1900's were breed with. Sitting under the shade of tree was a group of kids that she recognized from her high school, the boom box next to them was playing mariachi music. The children in the park next to her were running around, flying a Chinese Kite, while others started a friendly game of soccer that was interrupted quite frequently with giggles from the pristine looking female goalie.  
  
A soft smile graced Memial's pearl pink lips as the sound of a car backfiring echoing from far away and children laughing the uninhibited laugh of the naïve and innocent graced her ears. A distinct feeling of complete contentment rose from the depths of her heart. 'This is what life should be like always.'  
  
Even the squeal of tires didn't snap her out the trance. But something was wrong, the children's laughter had changed, they were now. . . screaming? Realizing the screams were out of place in the happy Leaver To Beaver world she was living in her head snapped up as her eyes focused back on the outside world. What she saw was like something out of a horror movie.  
  
A banged up old '71 Firebird was driving down the street, music blaring from the windows.  
  
/ / / / Where's my snare? I have no snare in my head phones. There you go. Yeah. Yo, yo  
  
Have you ever been hated or discriminated against? I have. I've been protested and demonstrated against. Picket signs for my wicked rhymes. Look at the times Sick as the mind of the mother fuckin kid its behind All this commotion Emotions Run deep as oceans explodin Tempers flaring from parents Just blow them off And keep going Not taking nothing from no one Give them hell long as I'm breathin Kickin ass in the morning and taking names in the evening Leaving them with the taste of sour and vinegar in their mouth See they can trigger me But they'll never figure me out Look at me now I bet your probably sick of me now ain't you momma? I'm gonna make you look so ridiculous now! / / / /  
  
She watched, eyes wide with horror, as one of the backseat passengers held a gun out the tinted windows. She stood there frozen as the hand pulled the trigger. Time seemed to start flowing in slow motion, until everything was coming to her in photo snaps. She watched as one of the teenagers under the tree reached into his pants and started to pull something out. Saw the blood flow out of the little hole in his chest as he slowly fell to the ground, taking eternity to reach it.  
  
She stood there as bullets splayed the park, riddling the trees and playground equipment. She watched as every single one of the kids fell to the ground, some of them no older than 5 years old. Their chubby little cherub hands gripping the grass as their eyes glazed over. Little, unisex chests rising and falling frantically, desperate to force air into their still growing lungs, blood pouring out of their perfectly formed, pale pink mouths, staining the lips cherry red.  
  
The gun fire stopped as the car speed off and a deep silence covered the area like a fire blanket. Pierced by someone's horrified, high pitched screams. Jerkily, Memial's sparkling green eyes turned their gaze across the street. A group of adults were standing there, smoking barbeque forgotten . One of the women, a young Vietnamese lady, was letting out terrified screams as she started running across the street, the sound of her checkered red dress slapping her legs painfully loud to Memial's ears. "My baby!"  
  
/ / / / I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet One more time. . . I said I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet / / / /  
* * * *  
  
Deidre's laugh fell from her lips like gold while Aikens laugh sounded more like wind blowing through trees. They were both sitting outside on her front porch, making fun of one of the teachers they had in common, Mr. Kali.  
  
Kicking her feet a bit to make the two person swing seat sway back and forth a bit, her black eyes sparkled as she leaned deeper into the cushiony seat, completely at ease and unselfconscious. Aiken simply sat there trying to calm down and think of another funny joke.  
  
But for some reason the need to fill the silence with useless chatter wasn't there, or at least not demandingly so. For some odd reason Deidre was the only person he'd ever been comfortable sharing a silence with, he couldn't even do it with someone in his family. Even his own mother.  
  
As for Deidre, she was soaking up the relaxation like a druggie with the perfect fix, for free. It wasn't so often she could get away from babysitting her brothers and sisters. For her, alone time was a special treat. And so the two of them sat there, silent, simply enjoying the others company, watching the few clouds in the sky float by.  
  
/ / / / I got some skeletons in my closet And I don't know if no one knows it So before they throw me inside my coffin and closet I'm gonna expose it I take you back to '73 Before I ever had a multi platinum selling CD  
  
I was a baby Maybe I was just a couple of months My faggot father most of had his panties up in a bunch 'Cause he left I wonder if he ever kissed me good bye? No I don't On second thought I just fuckin wish he would die / / / /  
  
" I wonder whose blaring their music so loud." Wondered Aiken. Usually Deidre's neighborhood was really quiet.  
  
"Listen, it's getting louder. Probably just some hoodlums driving their car threw the area."  
  
"Yeah, no doubt."  
  
But for some reason the sound of Eminem's voice slowly getting louder was causing him to feel upset. He had a feeling of discomfort and unsettledness. He had a bad feeling, and no idea why.  
  
Then the black car was driving by, it's black body gleaming under the sun like deaths carriage. And just as quickly it was gone, fading out of site.  
  
"Wow," said Aiken. "They must have been going at least 80 an hour."  
  
"Really unsafe, this is a 25 miles an hour zone because of the park down the street."  
  
/ / / / I look at Haley And I couldn't picture leavin her side Even if I hated Kim I grit my teeth and I'd try to make it work with her At least for Haley's sake I maybe made some mistakes But I'm only human I'm man enough to face them today  
  
What I did was stupid No doubt it was dumb The smartest thing I ever did was take the bullets out of that gun 'Cause I'd have killed them Shit, I'd have shot Kim and him both It's my life I'd like to welcome you all to the Eminem Show / / / /  
  
As the last remnants of music drifted off into the distance the sound of sirens filled the air. They shared a look of confusion. "You think that has something to do with the car that drove by just now?" Asked Deidre at last, almost afraid to break the silence. Something bad had happened, she could feel it in her bones, saying that out loud just made it more real Aiken just nodded his head in response.  
  
As the seconds ticked by, and the silence grew a little strained, more and more sirens filled the air.  
  
"What the hell do you think happened Dei ?"  
  
Shaking her head, Deidre opened her mouth to venture a guess when she saw the cop car cruising by. As it got closer to them it slowed down, until stopping right in front of them.  
  
"Excuse me you two, but have you kids seen a black car of some sort drive down here lately, probably going extremely fast?" Asked the middle aged and balding man sitting in the passengers seat.  
  
Not trusting herself to speak, she let Aiken do all the talking.  
  
"Yes sir. It was a black '71 Firebird to be precise, couldn't have been more than five minutes ago. Why, what did they do?"  
  
"Drive by shooting at the park." Answered the officer grimly. "Killed twenty kids, wounded another twenty. Thanks for the information." Then the squad car was driving away, leaving Aiken to catch Deidre's petite form as she fainted. Her sisters had been playing with some of their friends at that park, supervised by one of the carpooling, Volvo driving soccer moms.  
  
* * * *  
  
/ / / / I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet One more time. . . I said I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet  
  
Now I'd never diss my own momma just to get recognition Take a second to listen fool who you think this record is dissin But put yourself in my position Just try to envision wittisin your momma popping prescription pills in the kitchen Bitchin that someone's always going through her personal shit is missing Going through public housing systems victim of Munch Housing Syndrome  
  
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't Tell I grew up Now I grew up It makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it? Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me 'ma? So you could try to justify the way you treated me 'ma? But guess what? You didn't know that now when it's cold and your lonely And Nathan's growing up so quick he's gonna know that your phony And Haley's getting so big now, you should see her she's beautiful But you'll never see her She wont even be at your funeral / / / /  
Jez sat there, her pale thighs stuck to the hot black leather, her black mini skirt blending into the seat. The music pounded inside the car, confined. She watched threw glazed eyes as her boyfriend loaded another chamber into his .9mm. Behind him pretty red and blue lights were flashing wildly as she got knocked back kind of hard into the back passenger side door.  
  
"Crap!" screamed the driver, some guy she'd never met before. "We're going to fuckin die!!" But he was laughing while he said it, and pushed his foot even harder on the gas peddle. He was on some type of drug, recalled Jez. Crystal Meth?  
  
Then she was laughing from the absolute insanity of it all. The music's pounding beat digging deep into her blood stream, mixing with the pill she'd popped earlier. Not that she could even remember what it was she'd taken. But that didn't matter because everything was just fine and dandy and the feeling of boyfriends tongue sliding along the inside of her thigh made things even better. And as he pulled her down flat on the back seat and the car swerved at insane speeds and the sight of the kids dying played out through her head and the sirens played in the background she couldn't even tell the difference between the pounding of the music and the pounding of her body into the hot leather seat.  
  
/ / / / See, what hurts me the most is you wont even admit you was wrong Bitch do your song Keep telling yourself you was a mom But how dare you try to take what you didn't help me to get? You selfish bitch I hope you fucking burn in hell for this shit Remember when Ronnie died and you said you wished it was me? Well guess what? I am dead. Dead to you as can be.  
  
I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet One more time. . . I said I'm sorry momma I never meant to hurt you I never meant to make you cry But tonight I'm cleanin out my closet / / / /  
  
* * * *  
  
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	10. Grimpond

Book One of the Chosen Shannara  
  
10/?  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own Shannara. Give the respects to Terry Brooks.  
  
Author Notes: I'm sorry this took so long to get up. My life has been really busy with fixing up things around the house so my dad and I, Dragon Starbo, can sell our house. *sighs* And with this whole war on Saddam Hussein, it's just all really screwy right now. Please forgive my delay upon this chapter and I hope that I never end up this late again.  
  
Btw, I just did a whole chapter by myself! Yay for me! Lunablue did one, now I did one! Pretty, huh? ^^^  
  
Lunablue: Yeah, but you still made many, many spelling and grammar mistakes that I had to go through and correct for you because you couldn't see them yourself.  
  
Heh . . . I AM getting better! ^^^; Anyhow, just read the correction-free chapter.  
  
Chapter Ten: Grimpond  
Walker Boh rode on Tempo as the horse raced down the trail as fast as he could. They were mere shadows passing in the night, with no one to look upon them or stop them. He couldn't have asked for a clearer night to travel and he couldn't have asked for a more a need for a night like this one than the need that pushed him along.  
  
What are these Vo'galth? That was the question upon his mind that seemed to run around in circles. What are the Vo'galth? Where did they come from? Did someone send them? Or are they a new breed of human?  
  
Sadly, he knew of only person who could tell him which direction to seek his answers in. He knew he would not find any of them in Paranor, the Druid's Keep, for he has read every book in that keep and not one mentioned the Vo'galth. Or how people were transported from the past to the present. Or how they had spoken the same language as him. He knew enough about the Old World to know that they had another language, a very ancient form of Gnome. The language, though, he could guess was part of the magick.  
  
Because it was magick that brought them to the Four Lands, from the moment he was jolted awake, Walker Boh knew this to be a fact. However, who was the controller of this magick? What were their intentions with these four? The more he thought about it, more questions were produced in his mind.  
  
Tempo kept his pace all through the night, just like a tempo of the song, hence his name. He would be able to keep this pace up until mid morning, but by then, Walker would have no use for the horse. When you traveled to where he was going, you traveled alone.  
  
//I would have saved a whole day at least if I hadn't companied my nephews for that time, // Walker thought, but knowing that he wouldn't have done that even if he needed to know the answers as soon as possible to save lives. He wanted to make sure that his nephews could handle themselves; he would've stayed with them until they reached the Elvin Queen if need be. But they're strong, just like their fathers, and they proved to him early on that they would be just fine, for now.  
  
The dawn broke as the Druid rode his way to the opening of Kennon Pass. He felt Tempo's breaths begin to labor, and him becoming heavier in his steps. He was tiring, though this would be the same as a human barely breaking a sweat. If he chose so, Tempo could run for more hours, possibly to mid- day. On the other hand . . .  
  
Walker ordered Tempo to a stop and got off. With no saddle or any equipment, Tempo was easier to manage. Walker simply got off, thanked him, and told him that he may do what he pleases now. Tempo did the first thing that any horse did; eat. The Druid Walker felt his company and began to walk. He didn't go more than a quarter of a mile until he felt the presence of his other company, the Were Cat. He was a long time friend, who helped him out in many ways on his journey to becoming a Druid. He smiled faintly with the reassurance of his friend close by.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
It was an uneventful travel for the next week or so. Walker went over the Dragon Teeth Mountains, loosely followed the Rabb River into the Eastland and made it pass Darklin Reach to his destination. Grimpond.  
  
Grimpond; what a perfect name for the place. While there was trees and animals and seemed to be just another ordinary pond, it had a dismal tone to it for those who know about the kind of magick that resides within.  
  
The lonesome druid made his way over to the edge of the pound and summoned his powers, feeling a cold clutch at his chest as if Death's hand were upon him. Of course, it was all part of the magick and Walker soon had something to distract himself from his own feelings.  
  
Allanon's shade had risen out of the green whips of lesser, lost souls. He was just like he was in life, dark and looming, covered with a cloak that was so much of his appearance that it stayed with him through death. He spoke nothing, for a shade had no physical attributes other than imagines of itself.  
  
"Druid Allanon," Walker spoke curtly, opening to show the shade that he was there only for business. Even in the end, when Walker accepted his fate and became a druid, he still found no likable feelings for the one called Allanon. "I have come in need of answers. There are new creatures of evil roaming the Four Lands and four children from the past are traveling with my nephews. Tell me, how can this be possible?"  
  
The wind picked up a little bit, as if the shade was sighing. I an echo of his voice, the Druid Allanon said, :: The children come by a power that is both evil and great. This power knows neither limits nor humanity. Follow its trail and find your answers there. ::  
  
"What?! That makes no sense! Stop speaking to me in riddles, Druid!" Walker shouted, frustrated. "Tell me, what are the Vo'galth!? What is this great power you speak of?! Answer me, Allanon!"  
  
However the shade of Allanon said no more. He faded, the lesser souls dying away back into the pound. Soon Walker was shouting at the thin air, trying to gather up his magick to call back the shade, but his anger blocked him from forming his spell. In a final shout of aggravation, Walker stalked off, mumbling how typical it was of the Druid to never answer his questions.  
  
He stormed away, leaving behind Darklin Reach, and was soon heading towards the Jade Pass. The only thing he could do now was catch up to his nephews and hope that they get attacked again. Yes, it was usually something that he would never wish upon anyone, but this wasn't a usual time. Something was out there that he didn't know what was and needed answers one way or the other. He just hoped that he could figure out a way to protect his family and not ruin his chances at obtaining the answers. That's all that mattered right now, the answers.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
It was a pale sunrise, with the orange and pink water-coloring the sky. Anyone to wake up at this time would be filled with awe at the beauty of it. Not Walker, though, for he was just coming awake when night shrouded his world once more. He jumped up from the ground near the Rabb River, summoning his will like lighting a torch that flicker to life in seconds.  
  
And that was all the time he had before they showed themselves. Walker had never seen these things before, but knew at once that they were the Vo'galth. He counted ten, then twelve, and soon sixteen creatures had made a loose half-circle around him, trapping him to the bank of the river. They snarled at him in a twisted, playful way. Somehow, they reminded him of the Shadowen that plague this world during Par and Coll's time.  
  
// These are the creatures that killed Par and Coll, // he realized with a sudden grimace.  
  
That was the thought that sent the world into motion. Blue flames, cold and distance but fierce, raced from his fingertips and straight at the closest green, walking stick. Almost immediately, the Vo'galth was dead, screaming in horror at the intensity of the Druid's Fire. Walker merely gave his own twisted smirk, challenging them to make a move.  
  
The Vo'galth broke their somewhat-formation and charged him, all bets off. They clawed at him, roared in rage, and flew above in hopes of snatching him from the ground. Druid Walker, though, was a formable foe and crashed all who got too close. Filled with an unimaginable, uncomprehendable rage, the one-handed man was invincible and insane.  
  
Only a few remained within the twenty minutes they attacked him, wounded in pride, and they flew to the skies with their bat wings, taking their night with them. They headed to the south in a speed that even Tempo would have trouble with. Walker had two slept seconds to make his choice.  
  
He straightened his robes and followed the cloud of night at a run. He didn't think that he would be able to follow them for long, but he wasn't going to let the veil creatures get away from him as long as he had a breath in him. They will pay for their ways, great power or no. Mouth tight in grim determination, Walker ran on.  
  
To the Reviewers:  
  
Danger Kitties,  
  
Um, you got lost? O_o; Okay . . . I didn't think you get lost on the net . . . or were you lost in the story? . . . . Great, now I'm lost! =(  
  
lol. Just kiddin'. Thank you for the review! ^^^  
  
Sora Potter,  
  
Awe, I'm sorry that chapter made you cry. It choked me up, too. Lunablue can be so cruel sometimes, can't she? Then again, if it wasn't for her, this fic would probably suck really horrible and I wouldn't even have chapter five up until another year later. ^_^; Heh . . . 


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